September 17-19, 2023

Scranton, PA

 


 

Summit Brochure   Event Page   Registration

 


Photo Credits, Agenda: Lackawanna County Visitor’s Bureau, Visit NEPA, others as noted. Seen: McDade Park. Photo by Alexa Peregrim.

Sunday, September 17

Mobile Tours - Sunday, September 17 (times vary)

10am-2pm | It's All Downhill: Biking the D&H Rail-Trail & Lackawanna River Heritage Trail

Seen: Heritage Trail. Photo by Rebekah Smith, courtesy Lackawanna County Visitors Bureau.

Join for a 12-mile group ride down parts of two premier rail-trail systems in Northeast Pennsylvania from Union-Dale to Carbondale. Riders will load up bikes at the Hilton in Scranton and be transported to the Union Dale Trailhead where participants will be greeted by the Rail-Trail Council of Northeast Pennsylvania. Following a brief discussion about the trail system, participants will join members of the Anthracite Bicycle Coalition for a 12 mile guided ride to Carbondale where lunch will be provided. After lunch, the bikes and participants will be bussed back to Scranton. [.25 PRPS CEU or 2.5 Landscape Architect Contact Hours]

Note: There are two registration options.  Registrants who wish to rent a bicycle will need select the option which includes rental. If you plan to bring your own, please select the option that does not include rental. There are a limited number of rental bikes available, but it is suggested that participants bring their own bikes.

Required Release Form

Speaker Information

Owen Worozbyt | Operations Manager, Lackawanna Hertitage Valley

Owen Worozbyt is the Operations Director for the Lackawanna Heritage Valley National and State Heritage Area, the entity responsible for developing and maintaining the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail. Prior to joining the LHV team in 2011, he served as a Seasonal Interpretive Ranger with the National Park Service. Owen holds a bachelor’s degree in Park and Recreation Management from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania. His hobbies include biking, hiking, kayaking, and traveling. Growing up in the area, Owen learned not to fall off a bike because you can get hurt. Now Owen works on not getting hurt.

Gene McDonough | President, Anthracited Bicycle Coalition

Lynn Conrad | Interim Director, Rail-to-Trail Council of NEPA

Lynn is the former executive director of the Rail-Trail Council of NEPA.  She is now working to continue improvements to the 38-mile D&H Rail-Trail.

10am-4pm | Wyoming County Gets A Park

Vosburg Neck.

Join staff from DCNR, Friends of Howland Preserve, and North Branch Land Trust at the site of Wyoming County’s first State Park – Vosburg Neck. Presenters will highlight the history of the property and the importance of the acquisition which also provides access to the Susquehanna River.  Participants will also have the option to kayak the 2023 River of the Year – North Branch of the Susquehanna – or hike portions of the State Park. [.35 PRPS CEUs or 3.5 Landscape Architect Contact Hours]

Note: There are two registration options.  Registrants who wish to kayak will need to select the option which includes kayak rental.  Those who do not wish to kayak will have the opportunity to hike the trails.

Required Release Form

Speaker Information

Nick Sulzer | Park Manager, Vosburg Neck State Park

Nicholas Sulzer was selected in 2022 to lead the newly created Vosburg Neck State Park.  As a graduate of Misericordia University, Nicholas has 10 years of professional experience in conservation and natural resources working for the DCNR, Bureau of State Parks. He began his career as a DCNR Ranger and Semi-Skilled Laborer before moving into the ranks as a Park Manager in 2014.  He worked in State Parks Region 2 Office (Western PA), Hickory Run State Park, and Tuscarora and Locust Lake State Parks before being stationed at Vosburg Neck.  Nicholas is an avid outdoorsman choosing to spend his leisure time hunting, fishing, and enjoying countless other outdoor recreational activities.

Ali Wilson | Friends of Howland Preserve

Public School Art Teacher to 800 students a week loves nature more than the traditional classroom walls. In 2014, my husband and I began forming the Friends of the Howland Preserve to share the North Branch Land Trust’s public green space and historical buildings. A revival of the old apple barn and 1783 house began, and events and weddings were hosted to raise funds. Trails have been forged and maintained by the Friends. The property was purchased last year by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the Friends group is working in corporation with the state to create a Park for all who love to be outside in nature.

Doug Wilson | Friends of Howland Preserve

Doug was born and raised in Tunkhannock. He has earned a degree in multimedia from Penn State University, an education degree from Keystone College, and two master’s degrees in education from Wilkes University. In 2009, he began teaching in Tunkhannock High School’s Technology Education Department (Graphic Design, Drone Piloting, and 3D Animation.) In 2013, Doug and his wife Ali were introduced to the then Howland Preserve Committee under North Branch Land Trust. Noticing a need for more volunteers, they created a Facebook Friends group. Quickly amassing the support of family, friends, and locals they launched the official 501c3, The Friends of Howland Preserve in 2015. Since that time, the friends have worked tirelessly to save the historical structures, maintain the grounds, and enhance the property by adding several miles of hiking and biking trails.

Ellen Ferretti | Executive Director, North Branch Land Trust

Ellen Ferretti is the Executive Director of the North Branch Land Trust. Ellen brings more than 30 years of natural resource management and conservation experience to this position. She comes to North Branch from the Brandywine Conservancy in Southeast PA where she was Director for 5 ½ years. Prior to Brandywine, Ellen served as Secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (PA DCNR) and, previously as Deputy Secretary for Parks and Forestry. Ellen is from Northeast Pennsylvania and, with this new position at North Branch Land Trust, comes home excited to work in partnership with others to protect, conserve and enjoy the region’s forests, fields, streams, rivers, farms and outdoor legacy.At North Branch Land Trust, Ellen hopes to increase awareness, interest, support and quite simply excitement in the Mission and Work we do in partnership with landowners and others to protect and appreciate the outdoors.

10am-3pm | Hike & Bike Eales Preserve

Eales Preserve. Photo by Rebekah Smith, courtesy of Lackawanna County Visitors Bureau.

The Dick and Nancy Eales Preserve at Moosic Mountain provides sweeping views of Pennsylvania’s northeastern corner and represents one of the best locations in the northeastern U.S. for ridge-top heath barrens. The preserve boasts a healthy mosaic of stunted pine and oak forest dominated by huckleberry, blueberry, rhodora, and other low-lying shrubs that attract a broad array of birds, butterflies, and moths. Attendees on this mobile workshop can bike through the barrens or hike to the O’Connor Reservoir Dams with a tour guide; there you will learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s continuing restoration and establishment of the Reservoir as a new section of the Preserve. Visitors will see the preservation of what remains of the 128-year-old dam structure as well as the beginnings of the ecosystems that will take over the area as the years progress. [.35 PRPS CEUS or 3.5 Landscape Architect Contact Hours)

Note: Bicycle rentals will not be available for this tour; participants who plan to bike will need to bring their own and transport to the site.

Required Release Form

Speaker Information

Patrick McElhenny | Director of Stewardship, The Nature Conservancy in Pennsylvania

Pat has been with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) since 1998, working first at TNC’s Fort Indiantown Gap office as a Research Assistant with the regal fritillary project.  Pat has worked out of the Long Pond/Pocono office (Hauser Nature Center) since 2007 where he is part of the Conservancy’s land management team and oversees the on-the-ground stewardship effort for Pennsylvania.  A nationally qualified Burn Boss and a past Fire Manager for the Conservancy’s Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland Chapters. 

Josie Marino | Community Engagement Specialist

Josie is the Community Engagement Specialist at TNC’s Hauser Nature Center in Long Pond, PA. She started working for TNC in April 2023. Josie has worked in the field of environmental education for 10 years and is currently working on an M.Ed. with a focus in environmental education. Josie spends her free time birdwatching, hiking, and enjoying the outdoors with her husband and two young children.

11am-4:00pm | Parkers Landing Eco Restoration: Dual Benefits for Environment and Recreation

Photo by Rebekah Smith, courtesy of Lackawanna County Visitors Bureau.

Dickson City, a community of approximately 6,000 residents in the mid-valley region of the Lackawanna Valley, was categorized as distressed in 2015 by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. With help from an extremely pro-active and committed Borough Council, the municipality has worked to gain support from various state agencies and create market, revitalization, and strategic plans, all focused on recreation and the development as Dickson City as an “outdoor town”. Join members of the Borough’s Planning team to view several recently funded trail and park projects, all at different construction phases, which seek to meet community needs in the next several years. Session speakers will share how interconnected projects can share resources and bridge funding gaps that exist when viewed independently. [.35 PRPS CEUs or 3.5 Landscape Architect Contact Hours]

Required Release Form

Speaker Information

Paul Bechtel | Environmental Scientist, CERP

Bernard McGurl | Executive Director, Lackawanna River Conservation Association

Jayson Wood |  RLA, AICP, CPRP, LEED AP, Woodland Design Associates Inc.

Jayson Wood is a landscape architect and planner with over ten years of experience in northeast Pennsylvania. After graduating from Pennsylvania State University in 2009, he enjoyed working in San Francisco, California at Miller Company Landscape Architects where he worked on several public park, housing, and green schoolyard projects. In California he served as the Treasurer for the American Society of Landscape Architects Northern California Chapter. Jayson is licensed and works in several states, constantly seeking interesting, wholistic projects, which benefit entire communities and positively integrate public recreation and access within the surrounding environment. At this time he is particularly interested in showcasing unique design solutions and achieving their actual construction.

Jeffrey Kovaleski | Dickson City Borough Council President, Dickson City Borough Council

Jeffrey Kovaleski is the Borough Council President of Dickson City and has pursued strong revitalization efforts for his community, from planning infancy through construction. Growing up in the Borough of Dickson City and now as a School District Administrator, has allowed him to have a deeper understanding of his community and their basic needs. Jeff continues to appoint supportive committees and work hands-on to bring the necessary, positive changes we will share with you in this presentation.

Sunday Evening Reception | Scranton Iron Furnaces

5-7pm

Photo courtesy of Lackawanna County Visitors Bureau.

Four massive stone blast furnaces, remnants of a Lackawanna Iron & Steel Company plant, create a dramatic industrial backdrop for the Sunday evening reception. The evening includes:

 

music from the Shützengiggles Oompah Band;

an Oktoberfest themed menu from Posh Events;

and, a specialty themed trail ale by Groove Brewing.

 

Included in Sunday registration or available as a-la-carte ticket.

Photo Credits, Agenda: Lackawanna County Visitor’s Bureau, Visit NEPA, others as noted. Seen: Scranton Iron Furnaces, site of the Sunday evening reception.


Monday September 18

Plenary | 9am

Keynote: John Simmerman, Active Towns | Creating a Culture of Activity

John Simmerman is a veteran public health and health promotion professional with over 30 years of experience helping communities create more people-oriented places through proven All Ages & Abilities design concepts and evidence-based behavior change initiatives.

Simmerman’s focus is to directly inspire others by profiling the people, places, and programs making a difference globally in creating what he refers to as a culture of activity for all ages and abilities through his multi-platform media efforts, which include the Active Towns podcast
and YouTube channel.

Keynote Feature, WeConservePA Blog

Monday Session I: 11am-12noon (unless otherwise noted)

Trail Crossings: What is the Process to Cross the Road

PennDOT recently updated the Shared Use Path Agreement that is required for roadway crossing and is in the process of reviewing the Mid-Block Crosswalk and trail Crossing Policy.  Join PennDOT staff to learn what you need to consider when a trail crossing is needed.   Think basic data needs, road type (local, state, or private), the traffic study, ownership, maintenance, and funding opportunities. We will cover who you need to coordinate with, how to plan submission requirements, the review and approval process, requirements related to inspection and long-term maintenance, and available funding programs for different types of improvements. [.1 PRPS CEU or 1 Landscape Architect Contact Hour]

Education Level: Beginner

Speaker Information

Trish Meek | Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator, PA Department of Transportation

Trish is the PennDOT Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator. In this role, Trish advocates within PennDOT and with external partners across Pennsylvania to implement policies, legislation, engineering solutions, and educational and funding programs supporting people who walk and bike, with a focus on those who do so out of necessity rather than choice. Prior to joining PennDOT, Trish worked for 27 years as a Senior Transportation Planner for the Centre Regional Planning Agency (CRPA) which provided staff support to the Centre County MPO. In her role at CRPA, Trish helped municipalities secure funding for numerous projects, including streetscape, sidewalk, and shared use path projects throughout the Centre Region. Trish was also a guiding force in developing an active transportation community in the Centre Region, assisting the municipalities in completing plans and official maps focused on bicycles and recreation, and working with several external bike advocacy groups.

April Hannon | District 4-0 Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator, PA Department of Transportation

April has been with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for over 26 years. She has worked in District 4-0 as a Project Manager for local projects since 2003 overseeing at least 275 miles of new trail being built or improved.  April is also the Bicycle Pedestrian Coordinator and helps incorporate these needs into all designs and projects in District 4-0.  April is on the PAGTS Planning Committee and the NEPA Trails Forum Committee.  

How Economic Development Organizations Can Support Outdoor Recreation

The York County Economic Alliance (YCEA) established the York County Trail Towns Program in 2020, to help communities and small businesses across the county better leverage recreational assets for economic opportunity. The program is a driver to accomplish several goals outlined in the county’s 10-year Economic Action Plan, including: adding capacity to rural communities, advocating for investments in recreational amenities, improving the experience of visitors utilizing outdoor assets, and providing strategic direction leading to high-impact economic development projects in communities.

In this session, YCEA will provide insight into the development of the York County Trail Towns Program from securing funding to support efforts, day-to-day management, convening partners, engaging small businesses, aligning the benefits of leveraging outdoor recreation as a critical pillar to supporting rural communities and the quality of life of residents county-wide, and outline strategic development that has developed out of the program.

Our hope is that this presentation will provide insight for other communities to use our example as a template to create cohesion between economic development and outdoor recreation. To that end, by providing context on our efforts colleagues can take back ideas from experience that they can utilize to help move the outdoor economy forward in PA. [.1 PRPS CEU or 1 Landscape Architect Contact Hour]

Education Level: Beginner

Speaker Information

David Gonzalez | Director, Economic Initiatives, York County Economic Alliance

David’s role with the York County Economic Alliance (YCEA) consists of advocating for the economy of York County. Through YCEA, David engages with officials on all governmental levels and various groups to learn about issues, craft opportunities, convey concepts, and ultimately find ways to partner in making things happen with those who work, play, and call YoCo home. David oversees the implementation of the County’s 10-year Economic Action Plan. Where the focus is to develop a more equitable York County that boasts a high quality of life, economic opportunity, and a flourishing business climate. One of the featured projects David leads includes the York County Trail Towns program, an effort to spur economic activity by leveraging outdoor assets across 7 communities. David is a graduate of York College of Pennsylvania and is currently pursuing his master’s in public administration at Penn State University. David lives in York with his wife, and their son.

Silas Chamberlin | Chief Strategy Officer & Vice President of Economic and Community Development, York County Economic Alliance

Silas Chamberlin, PhD, is Chief Strategy Officer and VP of economic and community development at the York County Economic Alliance, a position in which he serves as executive director of the Redevelopment Authority of the County of York and oversees a variety of economic financing, business attraction, entrepreneurship, and workforce development initiatives. He founded and oversees the York County Trail Towns program and is leading development of the Codorus Greenway, the largest green infrastructure project in the City of York’s history. On behalf of the York County Commissioners, Silas led the YoCo Strong Recovery Task Force, which advised the county on the allocation of $132 million in federal recovery funds, including investments in parks, trails, and open space. Silas has held leadership roles with Downtown Inc, Schuylkill River National Heritage Area, PA DCNR, and the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor. He is the author of On the Trail: A History of American Hiking.

Trends in Motorized Recreation in PA

Motorized Recreation as an industry is an exponentially growing sector of outdoor recreation, which like many other modes of outdoor recreation became overwhelmingly apparent as to the demand and desire for people to be active outdoors.  As a state, PA hosts some of the highest sales of OHV machinery yet lags in providing miles of quality trails that serve as community connectors and economic development engines as have been successful in other states.

This informational session will provide participants with an update on the overall picture of motorized recreation projects currently underway in the commonwealth.  This overview will include ATV Planning Projects in Elk, Venango, Clarion, Jefferson, Wayne, Lackawanna, Northumberland, and Luzerne Counties. Presenters will focus on the positive economic development impacts that these adventure tourism trail systems have had on their communities and regions.

This session will provide information on legal places to ride in Pennsylvania, ongoing DCNR riding areas and a vision for the future. Pennsylvania is working to address in-state riding experiences while simultaneously addressing the current export of millions of taxpayers’ dollars to surrounding states that already provide this mode of outdoor recreation and adventure tourism. [.1 PRPS CEU or 1 Landscape Architect Contact Hour]

Education Level: Beginner

Speaker Information

Jim Laird | Trail Planner/ Landscape Architect/ RLA, LAIRD LA, PLLC

Jim Laird, RLA has been planning, designing parks and recreation for decades – many of which have been funded through DCNR state and federal grants.  His combined professional park and recreation experience, grounding in subdivision and land development and personal passion for motorized recreation has led him to serve as an advocate and lead planner in this arena.  Jim will present an entry level overview of the current trends in motorized recreation within the commonwealth that will enlighten and encourage attendees that the latent demand for responsible pursuit of this sport is happening on a large scale.

William ‘Bill’ Ritting | RLA, Registered Landscape Architect/ PTAC Representative for Persons with Disabilities, WAR Landscape Architecture

Bill Ritting is a PA Registered Landscape Architect who has been working on land development projects and park and recreation realm most of his professional career.  Bill has been a lifelong NASCAR fan since childhood and recently has been introduced to the opportunities that motorized recreation presents – largely through his work on the DCNR PATAC serving as advocate for Persons with Disabilities.  Bill will share his personal testimony as to how motorized recreation has helped him to overcome mobility challenges become wholly ‘included’ in large group OHV rides with friends.

Exploring the Power of WikiMapping: Lessons Learned from the Powerline Trail and Beyond (11-11:45am)

WikiMapping is a map-based public engagement website used by planners when developing both on-road and off-road trails for active transportation improvements. Founder Steve Spindler will talk about how WikiMapping has been used for bike sharing, Safe Routes to School, the US Bicycle Route System, Active Transportation Plans, Long Range Plans, Corridor improvements, State Transportation plans, and many other purposes. In part two of this presentation, Mike Szilagyi, Designer with Michael Baker International, will share how the program has been used in two phases for the Powerline Trail in Montgomery County, which involved collecting public input to identify alignment opportunities and needs for the trail. Finally, session participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and suggest ways for WikiMapping to be adapted to better serve their needs. [.075 PRPS CEU or .75 Landscape Architect Contact Hour]

Education Level: Beginner

Speaker Information

Steve Spindler | Founder, WikiMapping.com and Principal, Steve Spindler Cartography

Steve Spindler is an experienced map designer who has created maps for both urban and rural trails and bike networks across Pennsylvania and the US. He has also been designing maps for the East Coast Greenway for almost three decades. Spindler’s website, WikiMapping.com, has been instrumental in helping over 500 planners map over 650,000 community-based comments for bicycle and pedestrian plans, many of which are located in Pennsylvania. Although he occasionally travels internationally, he enjoys spending time outdoors in Northeastern PA, where he has designed the NEPA Trails map, which can be found on bikemap.com/nepa.

Mike Szilagyi, AICP | Designer, Michael Baker International

Mike Szilagyi, AICP is a planner at Michael Baker International, with 16 years’ experience planning and designing multi-use trails throughout Pennsylvania, and in southern New Jersey.

Highlighting Heritage Along Land and Water Trails (11–11:45AM)

Both Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area and Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor are state and national Heritage Areas, and as such both manage significant recreational trails (land and water) with a primary goal of using those trails to connect communities to the rich heritage, culture, and history of their respective regions.  This session will highlight how each organization delivers programing and events that elevate our trails to become vehicles of connection with our heritage.  Our organizations seize opportunities to connect trail users to the unique histories and characters of our regions and this session will help others imagine how they can do so as well.

D&L Trail Executive Director Claire Sadler will highlight a few projects and programs used to connect people today to that industrial heritage along the D&L Trail and local waterways: Tales of the Towpath, D&L Discoverer App, and Health & Heritage Walks. Each provides unique opportunities, lessons learned, and future considerations for sustainability that will be explained to attendees. Executive Director Elaine Schaefer will describe SRG’s Pedal & Paddle program, the Schuylkill River Sojourn, the Ride for the River and partnership with Sly Fox Brewery and select partner programming.

Both presentations will highlight some of the common features of this programming that have worked well, and the lessons learned, as well as a few of the mishaps that fall in the “we tried, but…” category.  The final part of the session will invite questions from the participants along with others’ experiences in delivering programming from the trails. [.075 PRPS CEU or .75 Landscape Architect Contact Hour]

Education Level: Beginner

Speaker Information

Elaine Schaefer | Executive Director, Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area

Elaine Schaefer is the Executive Director of the Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area, which serves the five-county region of the Schuylkill River watershed.  She is also currently serving on Delaware County Council and is Vice Chair.  Elaine is an attorney with a background in non-profit management and environmental advocacy.  She received her undergraduate degree from Boston College and her law degree from William and Mary. Elaine also served eight years as an elected Commissioner for Radnor Township.  Prior to that, Elaine co-founded the Radnor Conservancy, where she served as Executive Director and President and focused on developing a conservation easement program and protecting the last remaining farm in Radnor.  Elaine has served on many local and regional boards, including the Radnor League of Women Voters, Conservation Voters of PA, the Circuit Trail Steering Committee, The 9/11 National Memorial Trail Board and the Tri County Chamber of Commerce.

Claire Sadler | Executive Director, Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor

Claire (Wildermuth) Sadler has been with the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor (DLNHC) since 2014, when she started as the Conservation Coordinator then worked in a few positions before being named Executive Director during 2021. In her ascent to leadership, Claire served as local lead for Lehigh Valley Greenways Conservation Landscape, oversaw D&L Trail development, led the brand development, and launch of one of DLNHC’s partnership programs, THE LINK Trail Network, and directed the many stages of museum and education programming during the pandemic.  Claire holds a degree in Environmental Studies from Dartmouth College. Prior to her work with the DLNHC, she worked in various non-profits including Delaware Highlands Conservancy, Hawley, PA and Fernbrook Farms Education Center, Bordentown, NJ.

Too Busy to Trail? Leveling with Each other as Trail Professionals

Why is everyone so busy all the darn time? Is it common for you to rush from one Zoom meeting to another, not even leaving time for a “bio break,” let alone lunch or a midday walk? As people building, maintaining, and advocating for trails and greenways, isn’t it ironic that we have trouble finding time to enjoy them ourselves? Many of us are overtasked and sometimes even overwhelmed.

This interactive, conversational session is intended to provide a forum for trail and greenway professionals to explore how to create more space in our schedules and lives. Let’s take a serious look at why we deserve a better set up. The challenges are systemic, but we do have some ability to take control of our working lives. Let’s explore how to do so and what the impact might be. [.1 PRPS CEU or 1 Landscape Architect Contact Hour]

Education Level: Beginner

Speaker Information

Amy Camp | Owner, Cycle Forward

Amy Camp, owner of Cycle Forward, is a trails and tourism consultant who helped launch the nationally recognized Trail Town Program® in 2007. She supports local leaders and communities in trail town development, strengthening heritage tourism, and bolstering the outdoor recreation economy. She has consulted and led workshops throughout Appalachia, the Rust Belt, and other locations in the U.S. and Canada. Her book, Deciding on Trails, details the history of the Trail Town movement and recommends best practices for trail communities. Amy served on the Board of American Trails from 2012-17, and now serves on the Board of the Continental Divide Trail Coalition. She is an Associate Certified Coach through the International Coach Federation. Amy earned her Master of Public Administration from the University of Pittsburgh. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she first grew to love communities and began her work to help improve them.

Monday Session II: 1:30-2:30pm

Dickson City Borough – A Case Study in Economic Development led by Outdoor Revitalization Strategies

In 2010 Dickson City Borough, a town of approximately 6,000 residents in Northeast, Pennsylvania, was categorized as a distressed community.  The Borough Council jump started revitalization in the traditional downtown in 2015 and 2017, developing the Dickson City Downtown Market Study and Downtown Revitalization Plan. A theme emerged of connecting downtown Dickson City with the adjacent Lackawanna River, a highly valued Class A trout stream.

The core concept to return the focus toward this natural resource has expanded over the years to include multi-modal (pedestrian and bike) connections. From 2018 to 2022 the Borough was able to secure funding for a walkable downtown streetscape, rehabilitate several parks, and plan the build out of the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Trail from town to the Lackawanna River. Last year the Borough engaged the assistance of the National Park Service’s Rivers, Trails & Conservation Assistance Program to organize a broad partnership of state, local, and private interests.  A Strategic Plan was created that looks holistically at quality of life, identity, and how the arts and culture as well as recreation and trails can contribute to a healthy and vibrant community.

Today, several positive economic outcomes have resulted. The Lehigh Valley Health Network Hospital opened in 2022 along Main Avenue, the average family income in the Borough has nearly doubled (2020-2023), and the Borough is actively pursuing a greener future with plans to install green infrastructure, publicly available EV charging stations, and a Bicycle Route Network. The celebration of the community’s history and the arts figure prominently in the new downtown, with the current implementation of the public art plan.  Murals, a wayfinding system to promote alternative means of access, and the reconstruction of the Heritage Association Train Station Courtyard are some of the current projects.

We will take session participants through the economic devolution of Dickson City Borough, symbolized by the giant coal waste mound in the center of downtown, through the glimmer of hope provided by re-locating employer Lehigh Valley Hospital, to a resilient future based on green infrastructure. Participants will also learn about the strategies that didn’t go right but were important lessons for the Borough.  Because Dickson City’s story is a work in progress, we will describe the challenges of positioning the Borough to stand out in its own niche next to its powerhouse neighbor Scranton. The ultimate success of the Borough’s revitalization depends on the sustainability of these partnerships and community support. It is a story that is not complete, but the future trajectory is positive. [.1 PRPS CEU or 1 Landscape Architect Contact Hour]

Education Level: Beginner

Speaker Information

Jayson Wood | Jayson Wood, RLA, AICP, CPRP, LEED AP, Woodland Design Associates Inc.

Jayson Wood is a landscape architect and planner with over ten years of experience in northeast Pennsylvania. After graduating from Pennsylvania State University in 2009, he enjoyed working in San Francisco, California at Miller Company Landscape Architects where he worked on several public park, housing, and green schoolyard projects. In California he served as the Treasurer for the American Society of Landscape Architects Northern California Chapter. Jayson is licensed and works in several states, constantly seeking interesting, wholistic projects, which benefit entire communities and positively integrate public recreation and access within the surrounding environment. At this time, he is particularly interested in showcasing unique design solutions and achieving their actual construction.

Jeffrey Kovaleski | Dickson City Borough Council President, Dickson City Borough Council

Jeffrey Kovaleski is the Borough Council President of Dickson City and has pursued strong revitalization efforts for his community, from planning infancy through construction. Growing up in the Borough of Dickson City and now as a School District Administrator, has allowed him to have a deeper understanding of his community and their basic needs. Jeff continues to appoint supportive committees and work hands-on to bring the necessary, positive changes we will share with you in this presentation.

Animating the Greenway: Lessons from a Rural Canadian County

This session encompasses twenty years of grassroots community engagement around a rural Canadian rail trail that had divided its community. The Friends of the Rail Trail (FoRT) Haliburton group is one with no formal standing with the County Rail Trail owner/manager – encountering a difference of opinion in the suitability of the trail user mix.

What FoRT lacks in the area of official relationship, it more than makes up for in public connection. When ‘rail trail’ and ‘controversy’ went together in every newspaper story, Friends of the Rail Trail (FoRT) began a charm offensive. FoRT found areas of interest shared by all, such as open mic stories from the railway days – a community supper called Critters & Trestles, Dark Skies in the Lochlin Flats – a rail trail astronomy evening, or the Ghost Railway Canoe Tour. When local politicians didn’t believe there could be any value in attracting active travel tourism, founders travelled down through a dozen communities towards Toronto and up canoe routes towards Algonquin Provincial Park to imagine a TAG line called Toronto Algonquin Greenway, a grand hike-bike-paddle route of +/- 500 km. At the time of writing, the local council still has not signed on, but the TAG concept of Slow Travels, Local Flavors is captivating potential partners throughout the region. FoRT’s latest project, funded by a federal Active Transportation grant, will create an Active Travel Network in a small cottage-country village linking the rail trail with several parks and paths. This will improve safe travel around the community for locals and welcome visitors into town on bike -vs car- thereby reducing congestion. FoRT’s role is to spark animated public consultation.

This is a story of adversity inspiring creativity. It is drama, comedy and celebration. Filled with anecdotes that stretch credibility but are true, session participants will find stirring relevance to any kind of community trail effort. [.1 PRPS CEU or 1 Landscape Architect Contact Hour]

Education Level: Beginner

Speaker Information

Pamela Marsales | Chair and Greenway Coordinator, Friends of the Rail Trail (FoRT) Haliburton

Pamela Marsales is a creative innovator in connecting community and rail trail through advocacy, experiences, and celebration. Steeped in research of the International Greenway Movement, Marsales sees the universal in the local. She has been a leader in bringing trails to life, gathering people around ideas, linking cycling and nature, and motivating change.

It all began accidentally: After a discouraging outcome at a public meeting, her teenager challenged, “Well Mom, are you going to do something about it?” Twenty years later, Pamela can look back on a sphere of influence extending far beyond her own small rural community as a co-founder of many cycling, rail trail and greenway initiatives. Her passion propels her action whether as volunteer, paid consultant or project coordinator.

Defining Public Spaces Using an Asset Management Lens

Asset management and capital replacement are the buzz words of the public works industry – and the future for managing parks, trails, and public spaces. Data provides insights, justification, and tells stories that are supported by measurements. Industry leaders need to gain a better understanding of how to start, especially if they feel overwhelmed by the process.

Designed to emphasize the importance of parks and open space as essential elements for community resilience, this workshop will outline a strategy for administrative leadership to redefine the use of public spaces and highlight available resources to guide the process. Community and industry leaders alike are stewards of public infrastructure, and therefore should be accountable to learn asset management best practices.

This session is designed to include short segments of presentation citing specific examples, leading into facilitated, round-table discussions/example-sharing sessions, and reporting back to the larger group. [.1 PRPS CEU or 1 Landscape Architect Contact Hour]

Education Level: Intermediate

Speaker Information

Brian “BK” Koehler | Director, The Maintenance Institute, Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society

Brian “BK” Koehler has been the director of the Maintenance Institute since early 2020.  BK holds degrees in Business Administration (BS), Parks and Recreation Administration (BS), and Experiential Education (MS).  He is an experienced facilitator and event professional with a background in teambuilding, rope course construction, and outdoor leadership. Before joining the Institute, BK worked internationally as an experiential educator, producer, facility manager, and entrepreneur.

It All Comes Down to Drainage

The focus of this session will be designing trails for maintenance, particularly around water. With the influx of new trails being developed, how they are maintained must become a key component of the planning process. Before the shovel hits the ground, future maintenance needs should already be addressed and a maintenance plan in place.

We will discuss choosing trail surface, looking at water flow, riparian health, and choosing appropriate amenities. Emphasis will be placed on demonstrating that cheaper construction options may not always hold up in the long run. Offering many amenities is nice but can also lead to poor user experience if there is not the capacity within your organization to maintain them.

This session will also look at a few recent trail repair projects to demonstrate the challenges that can arise when design does not account for maintenance, including one major trail repair project along a section of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail, managed by the Great Allegheny Passage.

This session will give trail managers the tools they need to be proactive with maintenance and break the cycle of reactive solutions. [.1 PRPS CEU or 1 Landscape Architect Contact Hour]

Education Level: Intermediate

Speaker Information

Courtney Mahronich-Vita | Director of Trail Development & Relations, Friends of the Riverfront

Courtney earned her B.A. in Political Science and M.S. in Environmental Studies from Point Park University. Courtney has worked on trails in western PA for 10 years. For over 7 years, she has served as the Director of Trail Development and Government Relations at Friends of the Riverfront. She focuses on managing and developing the Three Rivers Water Trail and Three Rivers Heritage Trail Network throughout Allegheny County, working with almost 40 communities from land acquisition to construction. Before working with Friends, Courtney spent 3 years working with 21 communities along long-distance trails in western Pennsylvania, working with the Trail Town Program®. She serves as Vice-President of the Erie to Pittsburgh Trail Alliance and is a member of the Pennsylvania Trail Advisory Committee and Allegheny County Air Pollution Control Advisory Committee.

Ron Steffey | Owner, Steffey Trail Connections

Ron Steffey’s consulting uses 25 years of valuable experience with drainage in the underground coal mines of Western Pennsylvania to blend with over 20 years of planning, building, and maintaining sustainable trails.   Ron is the sole proprietor of Steffey Trail Connections, a trail consulting business that assists others to achieve their vision for trails.  He has managed and trained others in trail projects that have included the purchasing and railbanking of railroad corridors, transforming over 90 miles of rails into trails, renovating century old tunnels and bridges, and establishing reliable trail organizations.  Most of these projects have involved volunteers that have dramatically reduced the cost of both construction and maintenance.  Ron’s strong advocacy for trails continues to connect people to the natural Pennsylvania environment.

Joe Rusiewicz, PE | Project Manager, TranSystems

Joe Rusiewicz, PE is a Project Manager in the Pittsburgh office for TranSystems.  He has 15 years of experience and started his career at PennDOT District 3-0 starting as a Civil Engineer Trainee and working his way up to a Senior Civil Engineer Supervisor prior to moving to the consultant ranks when he relocated to Pittsburgh with his growing family.  He has experience with projects ranging from trail development projects to innovative intersection designs and limited access highway projects with a little bit of everything else in-between. He is currently a Director on the Board of the ASHE Pittsburgh section as well as the steering committee for the Transportation Engineering and Safety Conference held annually in State College.  He holds a bachelor’s degree in civil and environmental Engineering from Bucknell University and a master’s in civil engineering with a focus in Transportation Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh.

How to Plan a Legal Motorized Trail System and Where to Find Money to Implement

There are nearly no available resources for groups of motorized recreation enthusiasts that want to formalize as an organization, non-profit or club.  There are also many existing organizations that are trending toward consideration of expanding upon existing snowmobile trail system to include other modes of motorized recreation such as ATV and OHM, as well as Mountain and E-Bikes.

Using the example of the ongoing ATV plan taking shape in Potter County (a critical portion of the Northern Initiative and the PA DCNR ATV Pilot Program), this presentation will provide an introductory level base of information designed to provide these groups with information, resources, contacts and documentation that will help them formulate a strategy for consideration of pursuing organizing a new entity, expanding an existing trail system, or implementing a much needed trail system in their area/ region/ county. The session will provide insight as to available insurances for private property owners, indemnification coverages by The RULWA and potential funding sources for projects including the PA DCNR ATV Restricted Fund and the RTP Program. [.1 PRPS CEU or 1 Landscape Architect Contact Hour]

Education Level: Intermediate

Speaker Information

Brad Smith | Project Manager, Potter County ATV/UTV Club

Brad Smith is currently serving as Project Manager for an ongoing project titled The Potter County ATV Master Trail Plan. Brad is a lifelong enthusiast and advocate for motorized recreation with a special interest in snowmobiling and ATV trail touring. Like many PA residents who enjoy motorized recreation, Brad is working to ‘bring home’ the same community connector trails that he enjoys in many other states. Brad sees a tremendous opportunity to prepare a vision and plan that can fully capture the potential for tourism and economic development within Potter County, which is an important portion of The Northern Initiative and The PA DCNR ATV Pilot Program.

Jim Laird | Trail Planner/ Landscape Architect/ RLA, LAIRD LA, PLLC

Jim Laird, RLA has been planning, designing parks and recreation for decades – many of which have been funded through DCNR state and federal grants.  His combined professional park and recreation experience, grounding in subdivision and land development and personal passion for motorized recreation has led him to serve as an advocate and lead planner in this arena.  Jim will present an entry level overview of the current trends in motorized recreation within the commonwealth that will enlighten and encourage attendees that the latent demand for responsible pursuit of this sport is happening on a large scale.

Steven Kelly | President, Potter County ATV/UTV Club

Steve oversees much of the ATV/UTV Club management and organizational delegation with specialized focus on administrative functions of the membership-based club.

Essential Elements & Tips for Nature-based Revitalization

Outdoor recreation and the related outdoor economy are booming in PA, contributing billions of dollars to the state economy and employing over 150,000 people. Learn how your organization and local communities can benefit from outdoor recreation and how using the existing outdoor economy data can build support for actions to develop a local outdoor economy, promote town revitalization and future trail projects. Hear from two long-time practitioners in this interactive session about different approaches to making your town and businesses trail-friendly, building capacity to take action, and potential funding sources. You will also learn about the “outside insight” gained and lessons learned from their experience, and how you can get started towards revitalizing your community by using nearby nature-based assets, leveraging outdoor recreation, and benefiting from being part of the outdoor economy. [.1 PRPS CEU or 1 Landscape Architect Contact Hour]

Education Level: Intermediate

Speaker Information

Kim Stever | Owner, Eastwick Solutions

Kim Stever comes from a tourism/destination marketing and Main Street manager background. She co-developed and managed a River Town program for 5 communities along the Schuylkill River and Trail that was heavy on programming and grass roots involvement. Her work in co-developing a Trail Towns program in York County followed the Progress Fund model and has been a huge success for the York County Economic Alliance. Recently she has completed a pilot program for DCNR and two towns in NE PA using the Pennsylvania Environmental Council’s ground-breaking Outdoor Towns model. Kim is currently working with Lackawanna Heritage Valley (LHV) on a trail friendly business plan for the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail (LRHT).

Steven Nelson | Director of Planning & Government Relations, Eastwick Solutions

A well-seasoned planner, Steve has been working on trail planning and town revitalization for the past 20+ years. Steve has worked in tandem with Kim on the Schuylkill River Town Program, York County Economic Alliance Trail Towns and the DCNR pilot Outdoor Towns in NEPA. H, he has facilitated walking workshops, developed trail friendly business programs and toolkits, produced several webinars, facilitated various public engagement meetings on trail towns and trail friendly businesses and written several nature-based revitalization plans. Steve is also working with LVH on a trail friendly business plan for the LRHT.

Deb McNamara | Board Vice President, Rail Trail Council of NEPA

Deb was a long-serving staff member of the Rail-Trail Council of NE PA (RTC), which developed and maintains the scenic and historic D&H Rail Trail in Northeastern PA. Deb was Program Manager of RTC from 2007-2015, and was appointed to the RTC Board in 2015. She is currently Vice-President. Deb is also very involved in other civic activities, serving on the Greater Forest City Business Alliance Board from 2008-2019, and was Vice President from 2017-2019. She is also a member of the Forest City Outdoor Town Action Team. Deb is a former ski instructor at Elk Mountain and is also a cross-county skier.

Historical Downtown Scranton Walking Tour

An opportunity for summit participants to get out of the classroom and actively explore the unique history of downtown Scranton. Tour leaders will show off some of the local assets and architecture of the city.

Tour Leader:

Mary Ann Savakinus | Executive Director, Lackawanna Historical Society

Bio: A Lackawanna County native, Mary Ann graduated from Kutztown University with a bachelor’s degree in anthropology. While a student, she served as curatorial intern at the Anthracite Heritage Museum. Following graduation she was recruited to catalog the museum’s photographic collection. Afterward, she went to Carbondale, IL to work as an archaeological technician for American Resources Group. There she was a member of a field crew, obtaining practical experience in Phase II archaeology both on site and in a laboratory setting. In 1991 she returned home to accept the position of administrative assistant at the Lackawanna Historical Society, a post she held for six years. In 1997 she was appointed executive director of the Society. Under her leadership, the Society has expanded its programming, educational opportunities, and community partnerships.

Monday Session III: 3-4pm (unless otherwise noted)

Historic Bridge Marketing and Adaptive Use

Need a bridge? If so, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) in conjunction with the State Historic Preservation Office (PA SHPO) may have a bridge for you. When a historic metal truss bridge cannot meet the vehicular needs of a crossing through rehabilitation, PennDOT and the PA SHPO seek out a new owner through a bridge marketing program. Why would you want a historic metal truss bridge? Perhaps you need to make a connection on a trail or need a pedestrian bridge for a park. Or maybe you want to draw visitors to your site with a new attraction. These historic bridges were built over 100 years ago in a way that allowed them to be taken apart and transported. Once new owners are identified, funding for their rehabilitation and relocation may be available through PennDOT, DCNR, and other programs, allowing them to be used for another 100 years.

Join PennDOT and PA SHPO as they showcase how to acquire a historic metal truss bridge through PennDOT’s bridge marketing program! This presentation will include an overview of the program, including funding sources, along with case study examples. [.1 PRPS CEU or 1 Landscape Architect Contact Hour]

Education Level: Beginner

Speaker Information

Veronica Martin | PennDOT Historic Bridge Program Manager, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

Veronica Martin is the Historic Bridge Program Manager at the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) in the Cultural Resource Section. Veronica oversees PennDOT’s bridge marketing program and the metal truss bridge management plan along with several other bridge initiatives. Veronica joined PennDOT in 2021 after receiving her master’s degree in historic preservation from the University of Maryland.

Tyra Guyton | Transportation Special Initiatives Coordinator, Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office

Tyra Guyton is the Transportation Special Initiatives Coordinator for the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) where she is part of the Above Ground Environmental Review team.  Tyra created and applied a system for the evaluation of Pennsylvania’s truss bridges for the National Register of Historic Places eligibility and preservation prioritization.  Tyra has a special interest in adaptive reuse of PennDOT’s metal truss bridges and has advocated for their preservation through in-place rehabilitation or relocation to trails and parks.  In addition to marketing PennDOT’s metal truss bridges, Tyra has helped in the development and implementation of a metal truss bridge management plan and funding program.  Tyra received her master’s degree in historic preservation from the University of Maryland and was a former PennDOT intern before joining the SHPO in 2016.

Julia Hurle | Trails Director, Schuylkill River Greenways

Julia Hurle is the Trails Director for Schuylkill River Greenways, National Heritage Area.  Julia manages design and construction projects for the Schuylkill River Trail and the Schuylkill River Water Trail in Berks and Schuylkill Counties. She worked as a Landscape Architect and Planner on sections of the Schuylkill River Trail in Montgomery County.  Julia received her master’s degree in landscape architecture from the University of Pennsylvania and has been with Schuylkill River Greenways for 6 years. 

Trails, Parks, and Public Access: Who Does RULWA Protect?

The Recreational Use of Land and Water Act (RULWA) offers protection from personal injury lawsuits to landowners and managers when public access is allowed without charge for recreational purposes. After recent amendments, the courts have begun to construe the law more broadly to recognize immunities even when the land in question has some amenities or improvements, such as playgrounds. Recent cases have dealt with government owned land (which has its own immunity statute that can be used in conjunction with the RULWA.) At the same time, it’s unclear whether the law does enough to protect volunteers or park friends’ groups, and amendments have been proposed to include them.

Many are unaware of the protections afforded by RULWA and explaining that the law exists and how it works is sometimes necessary for landowners and land managers, and their advisors (attorneys or insurance agents) to feel comfortable in allowing for public use of their land for trails or recreation. Also, of concern to many landowners can be that even if they are successful in using RULWA, they may still be on the hook for attorney’s fees. By understanding the law, recent cases and amendments, and by identifying its remaining weaknesses, we will be better prepared to use the law better, and to be more effective in advocating for change. [.1 PRPS CEU or 1 Landscape Architect Contact Hour]

Education Level: Beginner

Speaker Information

Kate Harper | Partner, Timoney Knox

Catherine M. (Kate) Harper, a partner at Timoney Knox since 1997, was also a member of the Pennsylvania General Assembly in the House of Representatives, representing eastern Montgomery County for eighteen years. She chaired the House Local Government Committee. Ms. Harper has a general litigation practice, but focuses on land use (particularly municipal, conservation and zoning law) and real estate in Southeastern Pennsylvania. She handles commercial litigation, contract disputes and employment law matters for entrepreneurs, families and small businesses. She has argued before the United States Supreme Court, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, all of the Pennsylvania appellate courts and the county courts in southeastern Pennsylvania. Kate represents local governments, zoning boards and land development applicants. She also represents land trusts, landowners and conservancies in preservation projects and drafting and enforcing of conservation easements.

PA OHV Projects - Case Studies, Success Stories and Lesson Learned (3PM – 3:45PM)

This session will provide a summary of several OHV projects and studies that have been completed and are now well underway or successfully proving that OHV / Motorized Recreation is a much-needed commodity within the Commonwealth that can support and promote PA as an outdoor recreation hub truly ‘For All’.  This session will include presenters Cheryl Ruffner from Elk County Riders and Dave Porzi from Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area (AOAA). [.075 PRPS CEU or .75 Landscape Architect Contact Hour]

Education Level: Intermediate

Speaker Information

Cheryl Ruffner | President, Elk County Riders, Elk County Riders

Cheryl Ruffner is Treasurer/Director of Elk County Riders ATV, located in Elk County, Kersey PA. ECRATV’s main mission is “Trail of Dreams…An Elk County PA ATV Vision”, which is to promote legal ATV travel using Municipal roads and private land trails. To date, ECRATV has been instrumental in connecting roads in six (6) bordering Townships, entered into a land lease of 3,000 Acres to develop an ATV riding area, easements for several critical trail connectors with private landowners and local municipalities, and working on connecting to a 7th community in Elk County. ECRATV promotes safe and legal motorized recreation for outdoor enjoyment and economic benefit.

David Porzi | Manager, Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area (AOAA)

Dave has been with the AOAA since its early stages as a volunteer. Then became the director of operations in 2014 when the AOAA opened. He also has served on the board of directors of the Susquehanna River Valley Visitors Bureau since 2020.

Interpreting an Ironmaking Landscape Along the Rail-Trail in Pine Grove Furnace State Park

Pine Grove Furnace State Park is one of the earliest State Parks in Pennsylvania, and its core is a Rail-Trail that includes the Appalachian Trail. The 696-acre park contains two lakes for public recreation, both a result of ironmaking.

This program will discuss public history programming and related issues along or connecting to the Rail-Trail corridor. Public history programming that has been developed here over the past 12 years demonstrates an instructive and very close partnership between DCNR staff and volunteers from the Friends of Pine Grove Furnace. The programs include hikes, kayak tours, and various types of outdoor wayside displays. These features are unusual even among PA State Parks with industrial history as a part of their story specially interpreted for the public.

The presenter, Andre Weltman, is the chair of the Friends group as well as an accomplished public speaker and tour guide who will lead participants in a journey of exploration through what is possible in public education programming. [.1 PRPS CEU or 1 Landscape Architect Contact Hour]

Education Level: Beginner

Speaker Information

Andre Weltman | Chairman, Friends of Pine Grove Furnace State Park, Friends of Pine Grove Furnace State Park

Andre Weltman is the chair of the Friends of Pine Grove Furnace State Park, a chapter of the PA Parks & Forests Foundation. As a park volunteer, he regularly takes groups to visit the industrial features of his State Park, conducting dozens of public tours and presentations each summer, He helps manage the park’s small museum and with his Friends group maintains over 5 miles of heavily used hiking trails at Pine Grove Furnace. He retired in 2020 after 25 years as a public health physician at the Pennsylvania Department of Health in Harrisburg. Dr. Weltman is originally from New York City, but since 1997 has lived on 15 acres of woods just outside the state park, surrounded by the Michaux state forest.

Trends for Trail Communities of Today and Tomorrow (3PM – 4:30PM)

Pennsylvania is the home state of the trail town approach. First implemented along the Great Allegheny Passage in 2007, the approach has since been adapted throughout the Keystone State and beyond. In fact, more than 26 states are positively impacted by the presence of a trail town or gateway community program. While the scope and implementation vary from program to program, at their core, all trail town initiatives are centered on communities striving to better connect to trails.

Together, presenters Amy Camp of Cycle Forward and Silas Chamberlin of the York County Economic Alliance have their finger on the pulse of the future of trail towns, outdoor towns, and gateway communities. This future-oriented session will introduce research and new program models that have emerged in the last several years. Included in Amy’s presentation will be an example from central Ohio, where she recently helped the region’s Metropolitan Planning Organization craft a program that prioritizes active transportation and quality of life improvements for residents. She will also share national and international trends, as learned through the 2023 Trail Town & Gateway Community Program Impact Survey (a first-time survey), which she conducted over the winter.

Understanding the impact of existing programs here and elsewhere will help Pennsylvania communities design and adapt programs that contribute to thriving places. One such program is York County Trail Towns, administered by the York County Economic Alliance. Program founder Silas Chamberlin will share the story of York County Trail Towns, which pairs trails with economic development interests and prioritizes trail investments. Silas will talk about the BLOOM grant, offered to small businesses along participating York County trails, and other examples of an innovative trail town initiative. [.15 PRPS CEUs or 1.5 Landscape Architect Contact Hours]

Education Level: Intermediate

Speaker Information

Amy Camp | Owner, Cycle Forward

Amy Camp, owner of Cycle Forward, is a trails and tourism consultant who helped launch the nationally recognized Trail Town Program® in 2007. She supports local leaders and communities in trail town development, strengthening heritage tourism, and bolstering the outdoor recreation economy. She has consulted and led workshops throughout Appalachia, the Rust Belt, and other locations in the U.S. and Canada. Her book, Deciding on Trails, details the history of the Trail Town movement and recommends best practices for trail communities. Amy served on the Board of American Trails from 2012-17, and now serves on the Board of the Continental Divide Trail Coalition. She is an Associate Certified Coach through the International Coach Federation. Amy earned her Master of Public Administration from the University of Pittsburgh. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she first grew to love communities and began her work to help improve them.

Silas Chamberlin | Chief Strategy Officer and VP of Economic and Community Development, York County Economic Alliance

Silas Chamberlin, PhD, is Chief Strategy Officer and VP of economic and community development at the York County Economic Alliance, a position in which he serves as executive director of the Redevelopment Authority of the County of York and oversees a variety of economic financing, business attraction, entrepreneurship, and workforce development initiatives. He founded and oversees the York County Trail Towns program and is leading development of the Codorus Greenway, the largest green infrastructure project in the City of York’s history. On behalf of the York County Commissioners, Silas led the YoCo Strong Recovery Task Force, which advised the county on the allocation of $132 million in federal recovery funds, including investments in parks, trails, and open space. Silas has held leadership roles with Downtown Inc, Schuylkill River National Heritage Area, PA DCNR, and the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor. He is the author of On the Trail: A History of American Hiking.

Creating Communities of Practice for Trails and Share Use Pathways Planning (3PM – 4:30PM)

This trail planning session will help you to understand how vital it is to engage and develop community stakeholders for planning and managing successful trail and shared use pathway projects. Presenters will discuss how engaging and creating various communities of practice will influence (a) what type of paths of travel you end up planning for, and (b) how that important decision effects funding, design, construction, and long-term management.  Several actual recent projects will be utilized to support the presentation and encourage interactive small and large group discussion during the workshop. [.15 PRPS CEUs or 1.5 Landscape Architect Contact Hours]

Education Level: Beginner

Speaker Information

Larry Knutson | President, Penn Trails LLC

Larry Knutson is President and founder of Penn Trails LLC (www.penntrails.com), which is solely focused upon sustainable trails and pathways planning, design, construction, maintenance, project and construction management, and providing professional education in the trail industry.  Knutson is lead author of Trails for All People (2021) and co-author of Universal Access Trails & Shared Use Pathways (2014), both published by WeConservePA and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resource. Written for non-federal entities, these guides are utilized around the country by land trusts and conservancies, regional planning organizations, and professional designers and engineers. For more than a decade, Larry has regularly presented at regional and national conferences hosted by the Land Trust Alliance, the Professional Trail Builders Association, PA DCNR, the Appalachian Mountain Club, the PA Land Trust Alliance, the PA Recreation & Parks Society, and others.

Cheri Matter | Section Chief of Community Parks and Recreation, DCNR

Cheri Matter is a Section Chief for the Community Parks & Recreation Section at DCNR.  She has over 20 years of experience in the park and recreation field.  Her career started as a Recreation Director in Haymarket, Virginia and then moved onto East Pennsboro Township, Pennsylvania for most of her career. She came to DCNR to help others through the grant process as well as having the ability to work on projects revolving around ADA Access, Nature Play and Community Connectivity.  She has a passion for parks and recreation and enjoys spending time hiking, camping and smores making around the fire!

Monday Reception and Dinner

5-8pm, Hilton Scranton Conference Center

Monday’s reception and dinner will occur at the Hilton Scranton Conference Center and is included in Monday’s registration fee.

 

 

D&H trail. Photo provided by Rail Trail Council of NEPA.


Tuesday, September 19

Tuesday Seminars: 9-11am

Trail Accessibility Within Reach

Preserves seeking to be more inclusive may struggle to support hikers with limited mobility. Shared use paths may guarantee universal access but are so costly that planners are often limited to short paths around open fields. In this presentation, we present ways that conservancies can help people facing mobility challenges truly experience nature on a trail all year round. We invite participants to discuss opportunities and challenges in breakout groups.

We draw from the work of Knutson and his colleagues on Universal Access Trails to match users with trails. What experiences might users seek from trails: short outings to clear the mind, longer outings to discover nature, or even longer outings for exercise? What kind of temporary or permanent mobility challenges might limit their use of a trail: use of a wheelchair or a cane, other conditions impacting coordination or balance, recovery from joint replacement, or the need to push a stroller?

What kinds of trails might meet these varied needs?  Universal Access Trails can meet many mobility needs, but we believe that some natural surface trails may meet the needs of many users with minor modifications, potentially opening miles of natural trails to a broad spectrum of users at relatively low cost. Grades are a key determinant, and so we have developed maps to quickly rate difficult or impossible sections. We also consider the other information and amenities that these users need for a successful outing, and have begun to catalog trails within 30 minutes of Kennett Square as a pilot.

Partnerships are critical to building awareness of – and facilitating access to – opportunities among users.  The physical and institutional barriers these users face have left some unable to imagine enjoying a trail. We have begun outreach to a particularly vulnerable – and traditionally underserved – group: adults with developmental disabilities, and their service providers.  This includes information to help users set goals to build their capacity for longer and more adventurous hikes.  By integrating trail usage into a broader program of public health, we have begun to recruit support from county officials responsible for adult services, public health, and trail planning. With the goal of getting 20-30 minutes of movement and exercise outdoors most days of the week, access to wooded trails becomes especially important in the summer months. [.2 PRPS CEUs or 2 Landscape Architect Contact Hours]

Education Level: Intermediate

Speaker Information

Peter Doehring | Kennett Outdoors

After a career leading school-, hospital-, and university-based programs serving people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Peter Doehring now focuses on building work and recreation opportunities for adults with disabilities (like his daughter Margot) through independent research and advocacy. As Board Chair for a local conservancy, he helped to protect hundreds of acres and identify trail connections in southern Chester County, and he now serves on the Council on Disabilities for the Land Trust Alliance. Peter continues to publish and present nationally on ASD and related disabilities, and has begun to extend this work to include outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship for people with developmental disabilities.

Sarah Walter | Planning & Design Manager, PennTrails

Sarah is a licensed Landscape Architect in Pennsylvania and West Virginia.  She has been working as Planning & Design Manager at PennTrails since 2019, providing project management services and leading project phases including master planning, GIS data acquisition, mapping, detail design, CAD, and cost estimation. Prior to joining Penn Trails, Sarah worked for over 6 years as a Senior Planner for Centre County, Pennsylvania, simultaneously administering the County Agricultural Land Preservation Program and serving as Executive Director for the Centre County Farmland Trust. She has coordinated documentation and placement of conservation easements for the Centre County Agricultural Land Preservation Program while working with Federal, State, County, Municipal, and non-profit stakeholders. Sarah’s experience also includes field work for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Tying in Trails – To Transportation Systems, Economic Development, and Health

Greenways and Trails are often natural sites for “active transportation,” i.e., walking and biking to get to everyday destinations – or they would be if they were more connected to destinations beyond trailheads. As mostly off-road resources, they are by definition safe and inviting places for walking and/or biking in order to “get away from it all,” but that sense of isolation doesn’t have to mean they are hard to get to in the first place, especially for people who might be able to walk and bike to get there.  What is involved in tying trails into the larger transportation network so that fewer people have to get to trailheads by motor vehicle in the first place? How does connecting these outdoor recreation amenities to active transportation networks benefit the trail, the community, and the larger region?

This session will explain the systems of transportation infrastructure development, regional economic development, and public health promotion that can amplify the impact and reach of trails and greenways. Many of the people most closely involved in the development, planning, maintenance, and operation of off-road facilities are not as acquainted with these other spheres of influence just across the property line or over the edge of the right-of-way. There may be a sense that that is where things get complicated or confusing, but learning how to navigate those systems and who to connect with in order to integrate your trail or greenway into larger walking and biking route networks can be a game-changer for your trail’s prospects and the region at large.

Presenters include the leader of a Metropolitan Planning Organization, the director of a statewide community revitalization non-profit, and the manager of a program promoting active transportation infrastructure to improve public health outcomes. [.2 PRPS CEUs or 2 Landscape Architect Contact Hours]

Education Level: Intermediate

Speaker Information

Steve Deck | Executive Director, Tri-County Regional Planning Commission

Steven B. Deck, AICP, is the Executive Director of the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission.  He also serves as the Harrisburg’s Metropolitan Planning Organization Technical Committee Chairman, responsible for the oversight of transportation planning and programming initiatives across Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry Counties Pennsylvania.  He is currently overseeing the development of regional safety, active transportation, and congestion management plans.  He is a professional planner with over 38 years of municipal planning experience in a wide range of issues facing municipalities and counties across Pennsylvania. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Geoenvironmental Studies from Shippensburg University and is certified by the American Institute of Certified Planners.

Julie Fitzpatrick | Executive Director, Pennsylvania Downtown Center

Julie has been with PDC for 19½ years and has been part of a variety of projects in communities all over the commonwealth, such as: community visioning, regional downtown revitalization strategies, tourism infrastructure plans, business improvement district plans and other strategic planning activities. She has a Master of Science in Community and Regional Planning, with undergraduate studies in art history, anthropology, and landscape architecture from Temple University. Julie attributes her focus on people-centered service and the importance of building relationships to 18 years of small business management in a local downtown business. She is a member of the Pennsylvania Pedestrian & Pedacycle Advisory Committee and Main Street America’s Leadership Council.  She serves her local community by volunteering with the Marietta Restoration Associates and resides in a 220-year-old home along the Susquehanna River in Lancaster County and enjoys the trail and small-town charm of Marietta.

Samantha Pearson | Healthy Communities Program Manager, Pennsylvania Downtown Center

Samantha is the Healthy Communities Program Manager with the Pennsylvania Downtown Center, a statewide nonprofit. She runs the PA WalkWorks program in collaboration with the PA Department of Health. The goal of her work is to improve individual and community health through environmental change. Her background is in design and planning, with degrees from Princeton University and the University of Virginia. She has previously worked in architecture and planning in Miami, Boston, Baltimore, and Luzern, Switzerland. Originally from the suburbs of Miami, FL, she has lived with her family in walkable downtown Lewisburg, PA, since 2003.

DCNR Trail Feasibility Plan Grant Guidelines 2.0 - Rethinking the Possible

Since the original publication of DCNR guidelines for preparing various Trail Studies, the world has changed.  Trails unknown or neglected have been planned and adopted.  Trails that were adopted and designed have been built.  And trails that were built have been extended or connected. But what about trails that were irresponsibly planned, or failed because the plan overlooked critical feasibility factors?  Was this the mistake of the grantee, the guidelines, the workplan or the consultant?

This session will examine how DCNR’s guidelines for Trail Studies have been – or must be adapted – to answer questions of title, boundary, and site control.  This session will simultaneously examine and critique benchmarks for achieving Trail Study 2.0 – or what must be considered for solving the next generation of gaps, challenges and avoiding costly, long-term failures.

The session is intended to open dialogue for grantees’ understanding and use of existing DCNR guidelines for grant funds based on what is needed rather than what has succeeded previously.  Grantees are asked to discuss where funding is needed beyond the cartoon plans and green lines floating atop a tax parcel layer. [.2 PRPS CEUs or 2 Landscape Architect Contact Hours]

Education Level: Intermediate

Speaker Information

Andy Strauss | Principal, Strauss and Associates / Planners

Andrew L. Strauss, AICP / PP – Andy has been principal of Strauss and Associates / Planners and has practiced professionally since 1995.  Trained as a planner, Andy’s practice focuses on the management of complex land acquisition and restoration projects in the public interest.  Projects span legal due diligence, negotiation and assemblage of land for parks, public access, Rail-Trail systems, habitat preserves, restoration and wetland creation projects.  Clients include government, nonprofit organizations and private entities.  Andy divides his time between Pennsylvania and New Jersey projects, and is expert in the field of railroad title, corridor acquisition, and assemblage of challenging “gap sites.”  Andy holds a Master of City and Regional Planning from the University of Pennsylvania.  Prior to initiating his practice Andy served as a project manager for the Trust for Public Land and a policy advisor to New Jersey Governor Thomas H. Kean.

Alex MacDonald | Chief – Trails, Greenways and Statewide Planning Section, DCNR

Alex MacDonald serves as the Chief of the Trails, Greenways and Statewide Planning Section in the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.  His work guides DCNR’s implementation of the State’s Land and Water Trail Network Strategic Plan by providing support and resources to plan and implement trail and greenway projects with the principal goal of having a trail within 10 minutes of every Pennsylvania citizen.   Alex has been with DCNR since 2008 working to advance trails and greenways.  Prior to his time at DCNR, he worked as an Environmental Planner with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and a Historic Preservation/Environmental Planner in southwest Georgia.

Christine Dettore | Regional Advisor – Bureau of Recreation and Conservation, DCNR

Christine has served as the Northeast Regional Advisor for the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation for the past eight years.  Prior to PA DCNR, Christine served as the Director of Land Preservation for Wildlands Conservancy working with various organizations and landowners to support Wildland’s missing to protect and restore critical natural areas and waterways.  Christine also worked for the Monroe County Planning Commission where she served as the Planning Director and the Open Space Coordinator.  She was responsible for the successful implementation of the County’s Open Space Program, which was initiated with the passing of an initial $25 million bond referendum in 1998 and preserved approximately 21,000 acres of open space and farmland.  She holds a B.A. in Geography from Bloomsburg University and resides in Dalton.

Bob Folwell | Montgomery County Parks and Historic Resources Advisory Committee

Bob received two Landscape Architecture undergraduate degrees from Penn State University and began his career at the Centre County Planning Commission for three years before securing the Capital Projects Coordinator position with the Chester County Parks and Recreation Department. After serving for 23 years as their Project Manager, a position that included planning, grant writing, engineering, property title research and acquisition, and landscape architecture disciplines, he took a similar position at the Schuylkill River Greenways National and State Heritage Area to promote and develop the Schuylkill River Trail in Berks and Schuylkill Counties. Major accomplishments while at Chester County were initiating the Schuylkill River Trail, coordinating the development and opening of two park sites, and administering Chester County’s municipal grant programs. Although now retired, while at the Heritage Area Bob initiated three bridge projects, oversaw additional trail miles, was the Water Trail manager, and lead creation of the partnership-based Schuylkill Heritage Towns and Tours Program for economic revitalization to merge the trail with the town. Working on a series of Technical Assistance manuals, he developed a model trail overlay ordinance with three Heritage Area counties, wrote the Schuylkill River Trail Maintenance and Management Plan, and completed the Heritage Area’s graphics manual. After taking a couple of years from the trail business, Bob is now a volunteer with the Montgomery County Parks and Historic Resources Advisory Committee.

Tuesday Session I: 9-9:45am

Brookville PATHWAYS Project

The Brookville PATHWAYS Project in partnership with the Brookville Area Chamber of Commerce has created, bootstrapped, and popularized a series of in-town trails that required no major development, no special permissions, no major construction, no consultants, no grants, no fundraising.

PATHWAYS are public walking, running and biking pathways following Brookville’s public streets, public parks, bridges and embankments. Brookville was founded around the confluence of 3 beautiful rivers, the North Fork, the Sandy Lick, and the Redbank. Over the years, Brookville turned its back on its rivers and most of this area, in the very center of our community, was neglected. The PATHWAYS Project has developed 3 interconnected PATHWAYS including a 1-mile loop, a 2-mile loop and a 3-4 mile loop.

With some creativity, imagination, and mapmaking skill we have reclaimed our riverbanks, reconnected neighborhoods, provided new forms of safe in-town public recreation, encouraged beautification, increased property values, and generated new tourism and commerce.  They connected the existing Redbank Valley Trail system with our town’s Historic Main Street, our public parks and scenic riverfront.  We have planted trees and placed flowers on bridges to make these corridors more inviting and welcoming.  And many more improvements are planned.   We are also moving to connect with trails to the north and east.

This is a case study of a successful town PATHWAYS PROJECT that succeeded by the determined efforts of local citizens after more ambitious Riverwalk plans were confused by conflicting regulations, weighed down by consultants, bankrupted by grant requirements and blocked by local officials.  It shows that imagination and creativity can overcome the forces of apathy and bureaucracy.  And once in place it becomes a starting point for a variety of ideas and improvements and galvanizes interest in further connections with regional trails. [.075 PRPS CEU or .75 Landscape Architect Contact Hour]

Education Level: Beginner

Speaker Information

Arthur McKinley | Board Member, Brookville Area Chamber of Commerce

Arthur McKinley is a Brookville native and a graduate of Brookville High School.  He studied history and architecture at Allegheny College, University of the Americas (Mex), University of London, Paris Sorbonne and received a business MBA from Fordham University.  He has lived and worked in New York, Paris, London, and Sydney as a business development executive for a variety of media / tech startups as well as global corporations including News Corporation and Time Warner.  On returning to Brookville, he purchased and restored historic HALL HOUSE (circa 1848) to its former glory and opened it as an upscale BnB.  Arthur currently serves on a variety of local boards including the Planning Commission, Brookville Area Chamber of Commerce, Jefferson County Historical Society, Coolspring Power Museum and the Greenberg Cadillac Museum (world’s largest).

Beyond the 5k: Events and Programming Ideas to Reach Your Community

Join DCNR Environmental Educators as they highlight a variety of successful programs utilizing the trails around Northeast Pennsylvania. We will share tips, tricks and important considerations for hosting programs. In addition, see examples of events, ongoing programs, and passive engagement.

The presenters bring more than 45 years of combined experience working in Northeast Pennsylvania’s great outdoors. They have presented or hosted hundreds of programs on trails and bring a wealth of knowledge to the presentation. [.075 PRPS CEU or .75 Landscape Architect Contact Hour]

Education Level: Beginner

Speaker Information

Megan Fedor | Environmental Education Specialist, DCNR – State Parks

Megan’s career in environmental education started in 2004 at Pocono Environmental Education Center after graduating from Humboldt State University in California with a B.S. in Environmental Science. Currently an Environmental Education Specialist with DCNR she leads an annual Hiking Series, now in its 15th year, to highlight local trails and the partnerships necessary to conserve our trails. As a Certified Interpretive Planner and Certified Interpretive Guide, Megan takes a thoughtful approach to programming and has facilitated a large variety of interpretive, recreational, and environmental education programs in Northeast Pennsylvania.

Diane Madl | Environmental Education Specialist Supervisor, DCNR – State Parks

Diane is the education coordinator at the Hickory Run State Park Complex. She and her staff provide a wide variety of educational, interpretive, and recreational programs year-round for thousands of school students, teachers, and the public annually. She holds a BS in Biology and BA in Environmental Studies from East Stroudsburg University and is a Certified Interpretive Trainer and Certified Interpretive Guide. For over 20 years Diane has organized the Community Connections to our Watershed environmental forum for thousands of local high school students helping them to become active environmental stewards of their local communities. This place-based program provides immersive experiences in the parks, trails, streams and rivers in Northeastern PA. Throughout her 30 + years with DCNR, Diane enjoys days when she’s teaching out in the field the most and hopes her audiences leave having had a positive, enlightening outdoor experience.

Creating a Status Map using QGIS - A Case Study of the D&H Trail

This presentation will cover how to create a status map for a trail using QGIS, an open-source mapping platform. The D&H Trail Status Map will be used as an example, as it provides a model that DCNR Staff requested. The map will show the status of completed, under construction, planned, and proposed routes, as well as location-specific projects using points. The presentation will also cover how to import photographic documentation and create an atlas of individual areas along the trail. The presentation will conclude by discussing how to package the map into a single file that can be shared to ArcMap.

For presentation purposes, some aspects of this process will be simplified. Participants will receive links to an in-depth time-stamped step-by-step video of the process that they can use when creating their own maps. This presentation is valuable to both project managers and designers, and fits into several categories because maps are an effective communication tool for obtaining funding, public engagement, maintenance, and managing design and development. [.075 PRPS CEU or .75 Landscape Architect Contact Hour]

Education Level: Beginner

Speaker Information

Steve Spindler | Cartographer, Steve Spindler Cartography / WikiMapping.com

Steve Spindler is a skilled map designer who has created trail maps for both urban and rural areas across the United States, including Pennsylvania. His maps have been widely recognized and used in presentations by various high-profile individuals, such as Steve Jobs, former US Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, and Congresswoman Madeleine Dean. In addition to designing maps for Philadelphia, the East Coast Greenway, the Empire State Trail System and Northeastern PA, Spindler has taught cartography as part of Temple University’s Professional Master of Science in GIS degree. In addition to cartography, Spindler has established an online mapping tool called WikiMapping.com. This has proven to be a valuable resource for planners throughout Pennsylvania as well as nationally. The website has enabled more than 500 planners to map over 650,000 community-based comments regarding bicycle and pedestrian plans.

Tuesday Session II: 10:15-11am

Quantifying the Economic, Environmental, and Social Impact of Trail Networks

Trails are quickly becoming a top (if not the number one) amenity that residents seek in their communities.  However, trails can be expensive to build, especially if right of way acquisition is required.  How can advocates justify to elected officials the investment is worth the cost?

NV5 and Econsult Solutions, Inc. (ESI) have worked together to perform two major studies to provide an answer to this and to show the net benefits of trail investments. NV5 and ESI will discuss two recent studies. The presenters will discuss how different variables affect the outcomes of the analysis.  For example, the Trans Canada Trail is varied in its uses across the county, as the economic impacts along the remote backroads of British Columbia are very different from those on the Toronto waterfront.  The presenters will also discuss how they humanized the reports by examining real-life case studies of trail impacts.  Interviews were held with stakeholders from businesses, non-profits, and governments ranging from small towns to urban riverfronts.

The completed, easy to read reports not only show the bottom-line economic value that trails bring communities large and small, but also the non-quantifiable elements such as increased social interaction, environmental restoration, and beautification. [.075 PRPS CEU or .75 Landscape Architect Contact Hour]

Education Level: Beginner

Speaker Information

Matt Ludwig | Senior Active Transportation Engineer & Planner, NV5

Matt is a licensed civil engineer and certified planner with over 15 years’ experience on a wide variety of transportation projects, which includes specialized expertise in the planning, design, and management of active transportation facilities.  His experience includes trails and greenways, bicycle lanes, complete streets, urban bicycling and pedestrian networks, and first/last mile solutions. Matt’s hands-on experience in the engineering phase of projects has helped him lead ambitious, yet practical master plans, feasibility studies, and concept plans.  He lives in Philadelphia where he commutes by bike daily to NV5’s Center City office.

Gina Lavery | Senior Vice President and Principal, Econsult Solutions, Inc.

Gina Lavery is Senior Vice President and Principal of Econsult Solutions, Inc. (ESI), where she leads the firm’s economic development practice area. An urban planner by training, Gina leads many of the firm’s consulting engagements at the intersection of supporting equitable economic growth, and creating livable communities, and evaluating economic benefits of policy decisions. Her past professional experience includes commercial real estate research and government/community relations for a major Philadelphia higher education institution.

Daniel Paschall | Mid-Atlantic Manager, East Coast Greenway Alliance

Based in Philadelphia, Daniel Paschall is the East Coast Greenway Alliance’s Mid-Atlantic Manager. In this role, Daniel carries region-wide responsibilities for all aspects of Greenway development, advocacy and state committee and volunteer engagement. He supports communities along the route in Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland as they plan, build and maintain sections of the Greenway. Before joining the East Coast Greenway Alliance in July 2017, he served as a transportation/urban design intern with the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission’s Office of Transit, Bicycle, and Pedestrian Planning in Philadelphia. Daniel also worked as a research analyst for the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy in New York City and as a communications and customer service coordinator for The Green Project in New Orleans. Daniel holds a master’s in city and regional planning from Pratt Institute’s School of Architecture and a B.S. in environmental engineering from Northwestern University. He grew up in northern Virginia, outside of Washington, D.C., and loves exploring by bike his adopted home of Philadelphia.

Everybody Rides: Group Bike Rides that Engage the Community

Bicycling supports physical fitness; it also nurtures social interactions and brings joy to people who haven’t biked in many years, and in some cases, never. Group bike rides offer encouragement to beginners and synergy with partner organizations.

CAT-Coalition for Appropriate Transportation presents on how CAT group bike rides are geared to nurture new riders discovering the enjoyment of bicycling, and showcase bike routes that serve useful destinations, i.e. visiting bakeries, coffee shops, local businesses, parks, etc., while utilizing the network of trails and streets that stitches everything together.CAT rides are geared to bring new people out on the trails and as such offer: (1) routes that are beginner friendly, (2) routes that are adjustable for varying abilities, (3) lessons on trailside bike care/trail etiquette/rules of the road , and (4) leadership development from within CAT’s rider base.CAT organizes in-house rides, such as Weekly Women’s Rides, Full Moon Rides, Bakery Rides that track down tasty treats around the Lehigh Valley, and Touring Training rides that build distance over the course of the spring/summer towards attending the fall Bike Camping trip. CAT also coordinates Outreach Rides in concert with partner organizations to bring new people into bicycling.

These rides are successful since partner organizations can have strong client bases seeking opportunities to engage in the community. Outreach rides do not require any specific level of fitness or biking ability and are tailored specifically for each group’s goals and needs. [.075 PRPS CEU or .75 Landscape Architect Contact Hour]

Education Level: Beginner

Speaker Information

Scott Slingerland | Executive Director, CAT-Coalition for Appropriate Transportation

Scott has served as CAT’s Director since 2015. From 2008-2015, he was CAT’s bicycling education director, teaching bicycling traffic skills to over 250 adults, and basic bike education to over 8,000 children. Scott has been a League of American Bicyclists certified instructor (LCI) since 2006 and completed his Cycling Savvy Instructor (CSI) Training in February 2018. Scott has been a bike ride leader and adventure guide since 2003 through local bike shops and a national organization supporting lifelong learning for seniors. Scott is licensed in Pennsylvania as a Professional Engineer.

Anne Felker | CAT Ride Leader, member CAT Board of Directors, CAT-Coalition for Appropriate Transportation

Anne joins the board after serving as CAT’s attorney for 20+ years. Anne supports as a League Cycling Instructor and is the founder of the CAT weekly women’s towpath bike ride.

Resurrecting a Native Trail Landscape

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary has committed in 2014 to aggressively work towards maintaining our forests for biodiversity, which includes invasive species containment and eradication, storm water management, and trail tread stabilization and improved tread siting.  We have moved gradually towards accomplishing these monumental goals through adaptive planning and implementation.  The focus of this presentation will be how we moved through planning stages and then what implementations on our 2500 acres have been successful and which have not.

The Sanctuary is known best as the first refuge for birds of prey in the world conducting migration counts since 1934.  Hawk Mountain serves as an ecotourist destination, hosting 65k visitors annually.  Our landholdings are part of the Kittatinny Ridge corridor, a recognized globally important landscape for climate resilience. As with any land management project proper planning is essential.  This entails knowing your landscape intimately, especially throughout the growing season.  Having a base knowledge of botany, with an emphasis of “what belongs” and “what doesn’t belong”.  Identifying invasive plant impact within our native forest communities and knowing how each species spreads allows us to prioritize our management efforts and what methods for control are best to apply and what time of year.  Often not one strategy or technique fits, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and the ability to adapt has offered our greatest results. A great deal of our land management concerns are linked to storm water.  With the continued increase of a changing climate and predictions of increased storm intensity storm water management becomes a critical issue for healthy forest sustainability.  We have made several improvements that enhance our native landscape with future plans for additional management structures.

With annual visitation exceeding 65,000, trail tread stabilization and location become critical for long term forest sustainability.  The two parameters that serve equally as guides are trail safety and resource protection.  We have several trail projects that highlight accomplishments of both parameters. The Stewardship Department has close to a decade of intensive field management and recognizes it has an ethical responsibility to share our successes with all land stewards to improve our natural world and preserve its biodiversity. [.075 PRPS CEU or .75 Landscape Architect Contact Hour]

Education Level: Intermediate

Speaker Information

Todd Bauman | Director of Stewardship, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary

Todd Bauman has been working in the field of conservation for the past 35 years as a result of a childhood dream.  He has earned an A.S. Degree in Wildlife Technology from Penn state DuBois and then received his B.S. in Environmental Science from East Stroudsburg University.  During the 35 years he worked as a seasonal ranger in Colorado and then in Baxter State Park in Maine.  This following of his childhood dream only took place after two earlier careers, one as a construction professional followed by 5 years in law enforcement.  His past 28 years have been in stewarding the lands of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, of which he continues to grow and learn the evolving challenges in landscape management.  Todd’s professional qualifications include holding licensing as a Pesticide Applicator and ISA Arborist, Wilderness First Responder certification, accomplished trail builder, expert in chainsaw operation, expert in wildland travel, and demonstrated expertise in traditional tool use.

Noah Rauch | Sanctuary Steward, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary

Noah Rauch has been involved with Stewardship at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary since 2012, starting as a volunteer in the Hawk Mountain Conservation Corps service-learning program. It was through his time on the mountain as a teen that he realized his passion for wildlands conservation, remaining committed to the preservation and sanctity of the sanctuary through his high school and college career. Through over a decade of hands-on experience Noah has amassed a tremendous amount of knowledge of native and invasive flora and fauna within the northeastern landscape, best management practices in invasive species management, and has led multiple field crews in the remediation of sanctuary trails as well as in the restoration of impacted sanctuary forest. He holds certifications in commercial pesticide application, chainsaw operation, wilderness first response in relation to medical emergencies, and currently serves in his local municipalities Environmental Advisory Council as Vice Chair.

Stephen Wade | Sanctuary Steward, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary

Stephen Wade has been involved in stewarding lands for the past 6 years.  He received a B.S. in secondary education but later recognized he is most passionate about working in the preservation of our natural world.  He earned his M.S. in Park and Resource Management from Slippery Rock University in 2017.  During this time, he spent a field season working with the Montana Conservation Corps and then following took a full-time position as a residential Sanctuary Steward at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary where he has been continuing to hone his skills in land stewardship.  Mr. Wade is a certified pesticide applicator, Wilderness EMT, and an accomplished trail builder.  He has also led Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in its comprehensive movement of wildlife friendly facilities with a focus on creating bird friendly facilities.  Steward Wade, with an excitement for teaching, leads the Stewardship Departments Seasonal Steward/Invasive Specialist Training curriculum.

Tuesday Session III: 11:30am-12:30pm (unless otherwise noted)

Beyond Measuring Miles: How the Circuit Trails Coalition Turned Research into Action Towards a More Inclusive Trail Network

In fall 2020, Greater Philadelphia’s Circuit Trails Coalition undertook a study to address diversity and inclusion on the 375-mile Circuit Trails network. The study sought to understand how residents of four underserved communities on the network perceive local trails and what motivates residents to use trails (or not). Two years later, directly in response to study findings, the Circuit Trails Coalition launched the Community Grant Program – funding ten locally-led projects to create more inclusive, welcoming trails for systemically excluded groups and historically disinvested communities.

This session will explore the findings of the 2020 Equity of Access to Trails study, which can be generalized to apply to areas outside the Circuit Trails. Speakers will share their experiences implementing the study recommendations, including how they developed the Circuit Trails Coalition Community Grant Program, a brand-new opportunity for community-based organizations to address the Equity of Access to Trails recommendations by implementing projects and programs on the Circuit Trails. Speakers will describe the collaborative process of developing a trust-based grant program and their relationships with grantee partners – including how they worked to establish relationships rooted in respect. Speakers will also share lessons other trail groups can apply to their own efforts to create more inclusive, welcoming trails.

If your trail group is primarily focused on building and maintaining trails, this session will encourage you to focus as much attention on ensuring equitable access and use of trails, and practical ways to do so. [.1 PRPS CEU or 1 Landscape Architect Contact Hour]

Education Level: Beginner

Speaker Information

Emilia Crotty | Director, Trails & Equitable Access, Pennsylvania Environmental Council

Emilia Crotty is the Director of Trails and Equitable Access at the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, where she leads efforts to make the vast Circuit Trails network more welcoming and inclusive public spaces. Emilia works at the intersection of public health and the built environment and has spent her career supporting active transportation through program development, education, and advocacy in New York City, Los Angeles, and now in Philadelphia. Ever since riding her bike to work in high school, she’s dreamed of a world where everyone, no matter their age, identity, or income level, has the space they need and deserve to move freely, safely, comfortably, and joyfully.

Daniel Paschall | Mid-Atlantic Manager at the East Coast Greenway Alliance 

Based in Philadelphia, Daniel Paschall is the East Coast Greenway Alliance’s Mid-Atlantic Manager. In this role, Daniel carries region-wide responsibilities for all aspects of Greenway development, advocacy and state committee and volunteer engagement. He supports communities along the route in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland as they plan, build and maintain sections of the Greenway. He is also co-leader of the Circuit Trails Coalition JEDI Task Force.

Modern Greenways are Ribbons of Green and Blue

Many popular trails are built alongside waterways such as streams, rivers, creeks, lakes, etc. This location is attractive to municipal officials and other trail builders land adjacent to waterways are usually undevelopable, flat, and typically located on public park land.   Waterways are traditionally viewed and managed as a separate entity from an adjacent trail.   In fact, waterways are often seen as impediments to developing trails due to potential flooding issues, additional permits and engineering needed and additional funding needed to meet adhere to regulatory requirements for building in wetlands.  Restoring stream corridors adjacent to trails not only protects trail investment, but provides regional benefits including flood mitigation, infrastructure protection and water quality improvement. They function differently, serve different purposes for communities, and are often managed by different staff independently from each other.

In recent years municipal officials have been restoring riparian buffers along waterways to meet state and federal water quality improvement goals/stormwater management permit requirements.  In so doing, communities are enjoying stacked benefits such as adapting to climate change, becoming more resilient, mitigating stormwater management, improving water quality and habitat, etc.   Funding for these projects has been obtained from a variety of state, federal and non-profit entities.

Trail builders are challenged with rising costs of trail development projects stemming from higher material costs, increased labor costs, rising consulting fees, material shortages, etc.  They also need to meet matching fund requirements from traditional trail funding programs such as DCNR’s Community Conservation Partnership Grant program (C2P2).   What if trail advocates and municipal officials took a holistic and modern approach to developing trails located alongside waterways; and leveraged the funding they received to enhance the “ribbon of blue” to leverage funding to construct the trail or “ribbon of green?”

This session provides opportunities for attendees to learn how to leverage non-traditional funding sources to build trails and meet municipal regulatory requirements to manage stormwater, reduce flooding, and address water quality improvement regulations related to Ms4 permit compliance.  Panelists include expertise and experience working with local stakeholders, multiple landowners, trail groups, municipal and state officials to successfully fund, acquire, plan and construct trail projects in central PA.  This panel-based session will highlight success stories of modern “blue and green” greenway projects in central PA including the Capital Area Greenbelt, York County’s Heritage Rail Trail northern extension, and the Little Conestoga Greenway.  Representatives on the panel include Kelly Gutshall from Landstudies, Gwen Loose from the York County’s Rail Trail Authority, and Lori Yeich from DCNR. [.1 PRPS CEU or 1 Landscape Architect Contact Hour]

Education Level: Intermediate

Speaker Information

Lori Yeich | Recreation and Conservation Manager, PA Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources

Lori Yeich has a M.S. in Recreation & Parks from the Pennsylvania State University and a B.S. in Biology from Juniata College.  In 1999 she began working for the PA Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.  She currently manages the Central Regional Offices of DCNR’s Bureau of Recreation and Conservation. She has over 25 years of professional experience working with governmental entities and non-profit organizations to preserve and enhance public recreation and conservation amenities in communities and regional landscapes throughout central Pennsylvania.

Gwen Loose | Executive Director, York County Rail Trail Authority

Gwen has served as executive director for the York County Rail Trail Authority since 1997, helping the Authority build over 20 miles of rail trail and restore, repurpose, and reuse numerous historic rail structures such as New Freedom and Hanover Junction train stations. Working for an all-volunteer board, she understands the importance of volunteering and gives her time to serve as vice-president on the Appalachian Trail Museum’s Board of Directors and curator of the museum’s exhibits. In 2020, she authored the book, we were there, too. Pioneering Appalachian Trail Women. She is certified by the National Recreation & Park Association as a Certified Park & Recreation Professional.

Kelly Gutshall | Executive Director, LandStudies, Inc.

Kelly Gutshall is president of LandStudies, Inc., an ecological restoration and design firm providing engineering, construction, and maintenance services throughout PA and MD.   Through her 40+ year career as a landscape architect, Kelly has overseen the design and implementation of hundreds of sustainable restoration projects that focus on water resource protection.  She particularly enjoys working collaboratively with community leaders at the local and state levels to help change perceptions about the landscape from purely aesthetic, to one of working, functional environments. In 2019, she was recognized by PennFuture with a Lifetime Achievement in Conservation for her contributions to the environment, community, water quality, land protection and conservation.

Economic Impact Studies: Conducting a Study and Leveraging a Study for Further Investment

Recent trends demonstrate increased public investment in alternative transportation and recreation infrastructure.  As this trend continues, trail groups and municipalities can unlock this increased funding by providing a strong case for support.  Economic impact studies provide the necessary evidence that trails are a good financial investment and worthy of up-front costs.

This presentation is aimed at giving trails groups and municipalities an overview of why these studies are important, the resources needed to complete them, and the process for completing these types of studies. The panelists will present on trail economic impact studies.  They will cover why conducting these studies are valuable and how they can be leveraged to support further trail development, maintenance, and promotion. [.1 PRPS CEU or 1 Landscape Architect Contact Hour]

Education Level: Beginner

Speaker Information

Kelsey Ripper | Executive Director, Friends of the Riverfront

Kelsey is the Executive Director at Friends of the Riverfront, working to steward and further develop the Three Rivers Heritage Trail System in Allegheny County. After growing up riding her bike on the trails and rowing the rivers of Pittsburgh, Kelsey lived and worked in New York City as a nonprofit manager and then as a nonprofit and economic development attorney. Kelsey has a J.D. from Fordham Law School and a B.A. in Environmental Studies and American Studies from Fordham University. She continues to hike, bike, and row along Pittsburgh’s rivers.

Bryan Perry | Executive Director, Great Allegheny Passage Conservancy

Bryan Perry is the Executive Director of the Great Allegheny Passage Conservancy, a nonprofit entity formed to complete, promote, and protect the Great Allegheny Passage, a 150-mile non-motorized path between Pittsburgh and Cumberland, Maryland.  The GAP receives over a million visits annually, generates over $121 million in economic impact, and was the first path named to the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s National Hall of Fame.  He previously served as Assistant Director for Workforce and Strategy at Oakland Planning and Development Corporation, and for 18 years, worked at The Pittsburgh Project, a neighborhood-based youth-serving organization.  Bryan has a Master of Urban and Regional Planning degree from the University of Pittsburgh and a B.A. from Wheaton (Ill.) College.  He serves on the GO Laurel Highlands board of directors and previously on the board of the Oakland Business Improvement District. 

Jerry Paytas, Ph.D | Vice President, Fourth Economy

Jerry is a planner and regional economist with experience conducting a wide range of demographic and industry analysis at the local, state, regional, and national levels. His project experience includes comprehensive economic development strategies, site development strategies, market analysis, economic impact, program evaluation, and regional projections and modeling. He continues to teach urban and regional economic development at Carnegie Mellon University. He serves on the boards of Landmarks Development Corporation, the University of Pittsburgh Human Stem Cell Research Oversight Committee, the University of Pittsburgh Master of Science in Quantitative Economics program, and Humanities Engage. Prior to cofounding Fourth Economy, Jerry ran the Center for Economic Development at Carnegie Mellon University. He developed the first standard definition of technology industries for use with the North American Industry Classification System coding system for the State Science and Technology Institute. His work has been published by the Urban Affairs Association, Urban Affairs Review, and the Brookings Institution.      

Give Credit Where Credit is Due - Ensuring that the Public, Funders and Elected Officials Are Aware of an Organization's Role in Projects and Sources of Funding

Many times, nonprofits and other community organizations take on conservation and outdoor recreation projects where they have to raise funds and complete the work, from planning through construction, acquisition, etc. These organizations and project funders are often not given credit or recognized for the benefit they provide. To a nonprofit organization, that could mean loss or lack of funding for the project. For a funder, including the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), that could mean the public and local community are unaware of the Department’s role in financially supporting these projects, without which it is likely that the projects would not come to fruition. For the public and legislators, that could mean that lack of understanding or worse, confusion on how the funding and the organization doing the work are directly benefiting their communities.

Session presenters will discuss how to work with the media, the public, and legislators and educate them about projects and to make sure that the whole story gets told. After all, recognition = understanding = support = funding = project and organizational success. [.1 PRPS CEU or 1 Landscape Architect Contact Hour]

Education Level: Beginner

Speaker Information

Ellen Ferretti | Executive Director, North Branch Land Trust

Ellen Ferretti is the Executive Director of the North Branch Land Trust. Ellen brings more than 30 years of natural resource management and conservation experience to this position. She comes to North Branch from the Brandywine Conservancy in Southeast PA where she was Director for 5 ½ years. Prior to Brandywine, Ellen served as Secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (PA DCNR) and, previously as Deputy Secretary for Parks and Forestry. Ellen is from Northeast Pennsylvania and, with this new position at North Branch Land Trust, comes home excited to work in partnership with others to protect, conserve and enjoy the region’s forests, fields, streams, rivers, farms and outdoor legacy. At North Branch Land Trust, Ellen hopes to increase awareness, interest, support and quite simply excitement in the Mission and Work we do in partnership with landowners and others to protect and appreciate the outdoors.

Wesley Robinson | Press Secretary, PA DCNR

Wesley Robinson is a communications professional based in central Pennsylvania. He currently works as the press secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Robinson previously worked for the Pennsylvania State Senate for state Senator Vincent Hughes and the Democratic Appropriations Committee. Prior to his time in the state Senate, Robinson was a news reporter for PennLive.com/The Patriot-News. Robinson graduated of Eastern Kentucky University with a bachelor’s degree in communications and a minor in political science. He was the editor-in-chief of the award-winning Eastern Progress, covering the most important campus news. Robinson also attended the University of Kentucky, where he studied political science and worked for the award-winning Kentucky Kernel student newspaper.

Brad Barkdoll | Advocacy Manager, WeConservePA

Brad Barkdoll joined WeConservePA in 2022. As advocacy manager, he seeks to educate people, including elected officials and influencers, about conservation and advocate for pro-conservation policies in and outside of Harrisburg. He works to advance the policy education and advocacy agendas of WeConservePA and the Growing Greener Coalition (of which WeConservePA is the managing partner). Prior to joining WeConservePA, Brad specialized in logistics management with the Naval Supply Systems Command and was also an Aerospace Maintenance Journeyman with the United States Air Force, Pennsylvania Air National Guard for six years. He holds an MPA in Nonprofit Management from Kent State University and a BA in History from Shippensburg University.

City of Pittsburgh Greenways: Community Stewardship

Pittsburgh’s Greenways system was developed in 1980 after the collapse of the steel industry as a tool to consolidate abandoned properties, mostly along steep hillsides, and establish a permanent conservation easement for public use.

With Pittsburgh losing half of its population during this time period, and the City’s public works still tasked with managing the same amount of infrastructure and property, the Greenways program was a solution to the problem of abandoned properties that wouldn’t strain City resources. As such, Greenways have since then been sustained as an unfunded volunteer community stewardship program, regulated by the Department of City Planning. There are currently 12 designated greenways across the city totaling more than 1200 acres, and community stewardship groups have waxed and waned over time. Without dedicated funding for projects, enthusiasm for stewardship has proven hard to maintain. The greenways system presents an opportunity for City government to leverage natural areas to both empower communities to create the outdoor spaces that reflect their needs and wants and serve as a first line of defense to Pittsburgh’s changing climate.

The City of Pittsburgh’s ONE PGH Fund has secured funding to build a coalition of nonprofit stewardship groups to pilot a model for long term stewardship of Greenways. Landforce, together with Tree Pittsburgh, Allegheny Goatscape, Venture Outdoors, and the Hazelwood Initiative, has been working to create a more welcoming Hazelwood Greenway through clearing nearly 15 acres of invasive vegetation and planting nearly 300 trees while also expanding and updating the trail system over the past two years. This presentation will cover the building of those partnerships, the steps we took to work together to restore the Greenway as a neighborhood asset, and the lessons we have learned along the way to eventually launch the initiative at scale as well as how community groups, land stewardship nonprofits, and workforce development can create equitable growth through a focus on making outdoor environments safer and more welcoming places. [.1 PRPS CEU or 1 Landscape Architect Contact Hour]

Education Level: Beginner

Speaker Information

Thomas Guenter | Director of Land Stewardship, LandForce Pittsburgh

Thomas Guentner brings a decade’s worth of leadership experience with equal experience as a trail builder to the Landforce management team. Thomas received a BS from Slippery Rock University for studies focused on Public Relations and Sociology. He has worked as a court appointed advocate for Children and Youth Services and as a direct care worker specializing in independent and transitional living for teens aging out of the system before beginning a tenure with the Student Conservation Association as a crew leader and environmental educator.

I-84 Twin Bridges/North Pocono Trail (11:30AM - 12:15PM)

PennDOT District 4-0 is currently undertaking a critical replacement of two deteriorated structures located on I-84 in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. The project includes new mainline structures with spans up to 330 feet and elevated approximately 125 feet above Roaring Brook. The difficult project site includes an active railroad, Roaring Brook, the future North Pocono Trail, and steep terrain requiring the construction of several access roads, staging areas, crane pads, and temporary crossings of Roaring Brook for construction access, erection, and removal of the existing bridges.

During project development the property was identified as a National Register of Historic Places eligible resource, a Section 4(f) resource as a planned recreational trail, and as a section 6(f) resource due to the use of LWCF funding during its acquisition.  Each of the resources would need to be addressed as part of the NEPA clearance for the project. Coordination efforts were undertaken between the PennDOT design team, Lackawanna County, DCNR, and National Park Service to address the mitigation requirements, including property conversion under section 6(f).

The project team used outside the box thinking to address both the construction access issues with the bridge construction project and the need to mitigate impacts to the 6(f) resource by incorporating the abandoned railroad bridge into the project. The bridge is being rehabilitated to facilitate contractor access during construction, then turned into a trail bridge after construction addressing the key connection in the planned trail system. This innovative approach enabled the I-84 bridge project to be delivered 9 months ahead of schedule while addressing a critical connection problem for the trail and benefiting both entities.

Through this session attendees will gain an understanding of trail coordination requirements in federally and state funded transportation projects, as well as differentiating between section 4(f) and 6(f) resource classifications and mitigation requirements. The discussion will highlight the keys to navigating through the NEPA process and critical coordination between owners, stakeholders, and resource agencies for common goals. [.075 PRPS CEU or .75 Landscape Architect Contact Hour]

Education Level: Beginner

Speaker Information

Timothy Benner | Sr. Vice President, CDR Maguire Engineering

Tim Benner, PE served as Project Manager for the I-84 Twin Bridges Project.  He has over 30 years of transportation and bridge design experience and is currently a Vice President with CDR Maguire Engineering in Allentown, PA.  Mr. Benner holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and is a registered Professional Engineer in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan.

Tuesday Session IV: 1:30-3pm (unless otherwise noted)

Increasing Equity and Accessibility on PA Trails

This combined session will include presentations on two current projects addressing equitable access to trails in Pennsylvania:

Gap Analysis of the Circuit Trails Network: An Equitable Approach to Trail Development The Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) is working hard to grow the Circuit Trails network, adding trail miles and making the network more accessible and inclusive to more people. As a Circuit Trails coalition leader, PEC knows that trail development is often opportunistic and is carried out by numerous trail builders. The result is discontinuous trails (gaps), and a lack of trail development in under-resourced communities. For this reason, while it is important to continue to expand our trail networks outward, it is sometimes more important to fill gaps within the existing trail network – gaps that may connect miles of trails to one another; provide trail access to under-resourced communities; and connect users to parks, transit, and jobs. As a result, PEC developed the Circuit Trails Gap Analysis, a report and online mapping portal that ranks all 250+ unbuilt Circuit Trails segments according to their potential equity impact if constructed. Additionally, the Gap Analysis provides a framework for the buildout of the Circuit Trails network that prioritizes benefits to low-income, racially diverse communities and access to jobs, public transportation, and parks and recreation.

Equity and Accessibility Assessment along the Highlands Trail in Pennsylvania. While several portions of the PA Highlands Trail are ADA-accessible, a formal assessment to analyze segments has never been done before. As the Appalachian Mountain Club and several partners work to expand the audience of trail users across the entire trail network, this assessment seeks to understand systemic barriers to accessing and enjoying trails for environmental justice populations adjacent to the PA Highlands Trail, including those with physical and cognitive disabilities. AMC’s Equity and Accessibility Assessment stands out from other studies in that it combines a trail inventory assessment with environmental justice datasets to demonstrate a unique relationship between trails and urban communities in Easton, PA. Our report also provides information on the differences between ADA and ABA criteria, modeling how accessibility standards can be applied to different types of trails. The assessment’s scope starts the conversation to better understand barriers to accessing and enjoying trails for a variety of audiences, including underserved populations, and those with physical and cognitive disabilities. [.15 PRPS CEUs or 1.5 Landscape Architect Contact Hours]

Education Level: Beginner

Speaker Information

Zhenya Nalywayko | Program Coordinator – Trails & Outdoor Recreation, Pennsylvania Environmental Council

Zhenya Nalywayko is a planner, designer, and environmentalist with a deep love of nature, the people it creates, and the places they build. His work spans the Philadelphia region and includes park and trail planning, design, and development; community outreach and engagement; and graphic design for a variety of clients. Whether he’s out exploring Pennsylvania’s public lands, getting busy on Adobe, or talking to people about parks and trails, Zhenya lives at the intersection of humans and the great outdoors. Zhenya holds degrees in Geography and City/Regional Planning from Temple University and the University of Pennsylvania and is proud to call Philadelphia home.

Helena Kotala | Program Manager – Mapping, Pennsylvania Environmental Council

Helena Kotala is a Program Manager and GIS Specialist with the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, where she combines her love of maps, storytelling, environmental conservation, and advocacy. Her work spans a variety of projects across Pennsylvania, from the creation of data-based tools such as the Circuit Trails Gap Analysis to designing trail maps and planning bike events. She is based near State College, PA and is an avid cyclist and outdoor adventurer who believes in expanding outdoor recreation and active transportation opportunities for all.

Caitlyn Handlin | Mid-Atlantic Trail Coordinator, Appalachian Mountain Club

Cait has been with the AMC since January 2022 and is responsible for advancing trail projects along the PA Highlands Trail by convening outdoor recreation and conservation partners through the network’s Steering Committee. Prior to her role at the AMC, she worked as the Business Development & Public Affairs Manager for ACLAMO, a nonprofit organization that serves the Latino population in education, health & wellness, and social services in Montgomery and Chester Counties. Central to her work is advancing social justice principles in the outdoor recreation industry to foster a more inclusive and equitable environment for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities, as well as other affinity groups. She has presented and published several reports on inclusion and community-building. In her free time, she serves as a volunteer community ambassador for South Central Pennsylvania Climbers. Cait has a B.A. in Anthropology and a B.A. in Spanish both from West Chester University.

Cathy Poppenwimer | GIS Scientist, Appalachian Mountain Club

For over 20 years Cathy has been with the AMC doing land conservation utilizing geographic information systems (GIS) through analysis and public awareness. Projects include land conservation assessment at the parcel and landscape scale; GIS data development using satellite imagery, GPS data, and analysis; development and management of the Planning and Conservation section of the Pennsylvania Highlands website that provides tools to assist conservation planning and implementation; map development and design. Cathy has a B.S. in Wildlife Resources from the University of Idaho and an M.S. in GIS and International Development from Clark University.

Volunteer Stewardship Programs: An Exploration of Two Models

This session will include two presentations on trail stewardship programs, models for volunteer stewardship in Pennsylvania:

A Trained Volunteer Corps for Effective and Self-Sustaining Stewardship Anyone working with volunteers knows that stewardship is not as simple as directing free labor to complete needed work. Volunteer management is often a balancing act between the work required and volunteer desire. Join staff from Friends of the Wissahickon as we share our experiences recruiting, managing, and leading volunteers in the stewardship of a 2000-acre urban wooded park in Philadelphia. Along with covering our overall approach to stewardship by way of 12,000+ volunteer hours per year, we will share our strategic approach to trail & habitat stewardship and how we’ve cultivated a network of trained volunteers to accomplish our goals. This includes covering our dual approach model for training volunteers in both stewardship, through our Crew Leader Program, and engagement, through our Trail Ambassador Program, and how our model lends itself to self-sustaining stewardship programming.

Caring for Hiking Trails: Keystone Trails Association’s Trail Care Program Keystone Trails Association (KTA) launched its venerable Trail Care program in 1985. This year, KTA will sponsor its 38th Annual Trail Care season, dedicated to improving Pennsylvania’s hiking trails. Pennsylvania has thousands of miles of hiking trails, many of which do not have a maintaining club or adequate volunteers. Armed with a trailer full of tools and equipment, volunteers, and enthusiasm, we tackle some of the most remote, rugged and beautiful hiking and backpacking trails in the state. Hundreds of volunteer’s log thousands of hours digging, brushing, blazing, sawing, and lopping trails back into hiking shape every year. We will discuss the typical state forest hiking trail maintenance needs we encounter, approaches we use for mitigating treadway and corridor issues, policies for risk management, as well as our volunteer recruitment, retention, and reward methods. [.15 PRPS CEUs or 1.5 Landscape Architect Contact Hours]

Education Level: Beginner

Speaker Information

Shawn Green | Director of Field Stewardship, Friends of the Wissahickon

Shawn Green has been with Friends of the Wissahickon for 5 years, currently serving as their Director of Field Stewardship. Among other priorities, he is responsible for coordinating weekly volunteer service days, and recruiting & training specialized volunteers, both of which are important factors in building FOW’s community of stewards. Shawn recently developed FOW’s new individual stewardship program, which encourages park users to plan clean-ups around their own schedule.

Amelia Marren | Volunteer Program Coordinator, Friends of the Wissahickon

Since March 2022, Amelia Marren has served as Volunteer Program Coordinator with the Friends of the Wissahickon. She co-leads Volunteer Service Days and manages FOW’s engagement-related volunteer programs, including the Crew Leader, Trail Ambassador, Wissahero, and Junior Stewards programs. In 2022, Amelia helped bring in over 1,200 individual volunteers and 12,000 volunteer hours. Prior to joining Friends of the Wissahickon, Amelia worked at the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy as Land Stewardship Coordinator in the Laurel Highlands Region managing 6,000+ acres of land and over 20 miles of trail. Amelia’s passion for service and stewardship was sparked during her two AmeriCorps terms with PowerCorpsPHL and the Rocky Mountain Conservancy Conservation Corps. Amelia has a BA in Growth and Structure of Cities and Environmental Studies Minor from Bryn Mawr College. 

Jennifer Ulmer | Manager of Trail Maintenance & Training, Keystone Trails Association

Jenn was a long-time volunteer with the KTA Trail Care Program, gradually stepping up to Volunteer Trail Care Leader, then Volunteer Trail Care Program Coordinator. She was hired in February 2023 as KTA’s first Manager of Trail Maintenance. She coordinates the lodging, work sites, volunteers, equipment, etc., for the Trail Care Events, as well as safety policies and procedures, and provides on-trail and event support. She is also charged with expanding KTA’s Training Program. She has degrees in natural science and brewing and fermentation, and previously worked in the trails program with Susquehanna Greenway Partnership.

Brook Lenker | Executive Director, Keystone Trails Association

Brook Lenker came to KTA in October 2021, bringing decades of service to the environment.  He most recently served as the Executive Director of FracTracker Alliance, a national organization addressing the risks of fossil fuel development. Previously, Brook served as Manager of Education and Outreach for the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, as Director of Watershed Stewardship with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and as the Recreation Program Director with Dauphin County Parks and Recreation Department. His education includes master’s and bachelor’s degrees in geography and environmental planning from Towson University. At KTA, Brook oversees the administration, programs, and strategic plan of the organization plus advances our advocacy, marketing, fundraising, community outreach, and support for local trail clubs.

The Inside Scoop on Funding for Waterway Access, Recreation and Engagement Programming

Do you want to learn more about the wide array of funding opportunities available for those who seek to improve access to the Commonwealth’s waterways?  Whether it’s an innovative approach to waterway access that will create a site for recreation and community events or incorporating waterway access into greenway and trail projects, you’ll learn how to fine-tune your grant applications to find the most appropriate funding source available.

This session will feature a presentation about diverse, unique, and innovative waterway access projects and will highlight the individual design elements that make projects float to the surface in the sea of funding applications received by state and NGO partners. This session will share general information and highlight important insights into a variety of waterway access funding programs. Attendees will be invited to pitch their project ideas at one-on-one or small group consultations with grant program administrators for feedback on the most appropriate grant sources and how to maximize their chances of being awarded funding for their amazing projects. [.15 PRPS CEUs or 1.5 Landscape Architect Contact Hours]

Education Level: Beginner

Speaker Information

Janet Sweeney | Vice President, Pennsylvania Environmental Council

Janet Sweeney is a Vice President of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council and manage projects and programs of various sizes, scopes, and budgets, including Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers, Pocono Forests and Waters Conservation Landscape, Community Illegal Dump Site Cleanup Program, Keep Northeastern Pennsylvania Beautiful, and most recently the Ohio Basin Access for Canoes and Kayaks grant program. Sweeney has an M.S. in Planning and Regional Development from the University of Arizona. She serves on the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Conservation and Natural Resources Advisory Council, is on the Board of the Anthracite Bicycle Coalition, and serves on the Countryside Conservancy Trail Sub-Committee.

Mark McLaughlin | Chief of Waterways and Marina Management, PA Fish and Boat Commission

Mark McLaughlin is the Chief of Waterways and Marina Management for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission where he is responsible for overseeing the Boating Facility Grant Program (in addition to other grant programs), the Commonwealth’s waterways management and navigational aids programs, and operation of the Commission’s Walnut Creek Marina. Mark has extensive volunteer experience in the conservation of waterways through past work with Riverkeeper and the Surfrider Foundation.  Mark received his B.S. in Marine Environmental Science from the Maritime College in Bronx, NY.

Kelly Rossiter | Section Chief, Landscape Partnerships & Educational Services, DCNR, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation

Ms. Rossiter is currently employed by Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). Her position focuses on building local partnerships to extend the mission of the Department—to conserve natural resources and offer outdoor recreation opportunities to all—beyond state-owned parks and forests. Through diverse grant offerings and technical assistance, local municipalities and community organizations are offered support by DCNR to further the protection of natural resources and develop outdoor recreation facilities and programs that serve the needs of residents and visitors alike. Most recently, Kelly’s work at DCNR has concentrated on water-based recreation and investment in watershed restoration and watershed forestry practices to help improve the quality of aquatic resources for recreation use. Kelly works closely with communities to implement projects, which offers realistic insight into the complexities faced by project sponsors and the challenging decisions necessary to prioritize investments. Kelly also coordinates with other state agencies and funders to make progress toward Pennsylvania’s goal of offering public access for water-based recreation within a 10-minute drive of all Pennsylvanians. With previous experience in both the public and private sectors, Kelly brings a broad knowledge of the field of community planning and economic development. She is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh (PA).

Tali MacArthur | Program Manager Watershed Outreach, PEC/POWR

As Program Manager for Watershed Outreach, Tali MacArthur’s chief responsibilities are to advance the mission of the Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers (POWR), a 509(a)-supporting organization of PEC.

Eli Long | Watershed Manager, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy

Eli has more than 20 years of experience in the watershed conservation field, with ample experience in conservation best management practices, stream assessment, GIS/mapping and comprehensive watershed restoration.  Eli manages WPC’s Canoe Access Development Fund which has implemented over 90 river access projects since its inception in 2009.

PennDOT Multimodal Transportation Fund (MTF) (1PM - 1:45PM)

The Multimodal Transportation Fund (MTF) was established by Act 89 of 2013. It provides financial assistance for transportation infrastructure projects that enhance communities, improve pedestrian safety, and/or revitalize transit. This presentation will review a series of topics applicants need to know to be successful, if interested in applying for PennDOT MTF, if awarded PennDOT MTF, and responsibilities of delivering a PennDOT MTF local project. [.075 PRPS CEU or .75 Landscape Architect Contact Hours]

Education Level: Beginner

Speaker Information

Michelle Tarquino | Executive Assistant, Multimodal Deputate, PennDOT

Michelle joined the PennDOT team in May 2006, and has worked with programs and projects varying in complexity. Michelle worked in Central Office and PennDOT District 8-0, with multiple stakeholders across the Commonwealth, including Federal, State and Regional Partners, elected officials, and local governments, to aid with project planning, design, and delivery. Michelle currently holds the role as Executive Assistant in the Multimodal Deputate to assists in the implementation of the Department’s Active Transportation Plan, management of the Multimodal Transportation Funding (MTF), policy development and coordination, and special projects.

Tuesday Mobile Seminars: 1-3pm

Eco-Trolley, Working Together with Property Owners to Expand Public Lands

Photo courtesy of Electric City Trolley Museum and Lackawanna County Visitors Bureau.

Enjoy a ride on a historic 1920’s era trolley to the Little Virginia Wetlands below Montage Mountain which has recently been purchased by the Trust for Public Land and to be turned over to the DCNR Bureau of Forestry. Participants will enjoy a scenic 20-minute ride to the wetlands, disembark and get a firsthand look at some of the latest lands added to the Pinchot District. Following the tour of the wetlands, the trolley will continue to the restoration shops at Montage Mountain and then return participants to the hotel. Representative from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, both the Bureau of Recreation and Conservation and the Bureau of Forestry will discuss the importance of a recent acquisition along the Trolley line that was acquired through a partnership with The Conservation Fund. [.15 PRPS CEUs or 1.5 Landscape Architect Contact Hours]

Required Release Form

Speaker Information

Christine Dettore | Regional Advisor, DCNR, BRC

Christine Dettore – Christine has served as the Northeast Regional Advisor for the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation for the past eight years.  Prior to PA DCNR, Christine served as the Director of Land Preservation for Wildlands Conservancy working with various organizations and landowners to support Wildland’s missing to protect and restore critical natural areas and waterways.  Christine also worked for the Monroe County Planning Commission where she served as the Planning Director and the Open Space Coordinator.  She was responsible for the successful implementation of the County’s Open Space Program, which was initiated with the passing of an initial $25 million bond referendum in 1998 and preserved approximately 21,000 acres of open space and farmland.  She holds a B.A. in Geography from Bloomsburg University and resides in Dalton.

Laura Bower | Pennsylvania Field Representative, The Conservation Fund

As a lifelong resident of Pennsylvania, Laura Bower has spent the past two decades conserving land throughout the state. She started her career protecting farmland in the northern regions of PA where she worked in county government administering the Pennsylvania State Farmland Preservation Program. Laura then spent nearly 18 years as the Senior Land Conservationist for Heritage Conservancy leading the organization’s land conservation transactions that resulted in the permanent protection of over 200 properties totaling over 7,000 acres. Then in February of 2022, she joined The Conservation Fund as the Pennsylvania Field Representative where she coordinates land, water, and resource conservation projects throughout the state of Pennsylvania. 

Timothy Latz | Assistant District Forester, DCNR Bureau of Forestry (Pinchot State Forest)

Timothy has a BS in Forestry from Penn State University. He has worked with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Forestry since 2011,  starting in the William Penn Forest District as a service forester providing landowner outreach for Lehigh and Northampton Counties. In 2015 he transferred to the Pinchot Forest District as a service forester for Wayne, Lackawanna, and Luzerne Counties. In the winter of 2019, he was promoted to the Assistant District Forest (ADF) of Resource Management. Timothy manages two resource foresters, two service foresters, one recreation forester, three forest technicians and 1 ranger supervisor with three rangers. His section is responsible for public outreach for Lackawanna, Luzerne, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming Counties, sustainable timber harvesting, recreation opportunities, degraded land restoration, land acquisition, public safety, riparian buffers, invasive plant mitigation, and forest insect and disease prevention.

Scranton Walk- & Bike-Ability: Connecting the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail to the Downtown

Photo by Todd Hiller, courtesy of Lackawanna County Visitors Bureau.

The Lackawanna River Heritage Trail is an urban multi-use trail for recreation and long-distance cycling, as well as local commutes by residents and visitors alike. Attendees will walk 3 miles from the conference and back to see current and recently completed projects downtown and along the trail. Wear comfortable walking shoes. [.15 PRPS CEUs or 1.5 Landscape Architect Contact Hours]

Required Release Form

Speaker Information

Owen Worozbyt | Operations Manager, Lackawanna Heritage Valley

Owen Worozbyt is the Operations Director for the Lackawanna Heritage Valley National and State Heritage Area, the entity responsible for developing and maintaining the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail. Prior to joining the LHV team in 2011, he served as a Seasonal Interpretive Ranger with the National Park Service. Owen holds a bachelor’s degree in Park and Recreation Management from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania. His hobbies include biking, hiking, kayaking, and traveling. Growing up in the area, Owen learned not to fall off a bike because you can get hurt. Now Owen works on not getting hurt.

Eales Preserve. Photo by Rebekah Smith, courtesy of the Lackawanna County Visitors Bureau.